How I Joined The XMen
by Cougar9
Summary: The title kinda says it...It's kind of fun, and deals with a mutant, trying to make it to Xavier's and encountering all kinds of obstacles. Last Chapter up! FINISHED ,R
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own them, obviously, or I would be rich and laughing at all the little X-Freaks...if you take insult to that, flame me, I don't care, I'm one myself. 

Quote: A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.  
--Herm Albright

CHAPTER ONE

"Can I help ya?" the man asked dangerously.

I can't respond, though, because he's holding his trademark claws to my throat. You all guessed it, the Legendary Wolverine of the X-Men is pinning me to the wall, one hand gripping my right arm like a vice (which is understandable since I'm holding a six inch dagger) and the other hand, with it's extracted claws, is making sure that I stay against the wall.

Maybe I should start from the beginning. Jeez, how many months ago was that? Heh, I'm not even sure which month it is now. Well, I did notice Halloween decorations when I snuck in here. I know, I still can't believe that I actually infiltrated the X-Mansion, aint it cool? Anyway, it must be around October or November. Ah, then maybe it was about seven months ago that it all actually began. So, I'll start you out in mid-April. Here we go through one of those annoying time warps, hold on, and if you get motion sickness, the reader next to you makes an excellent air sickness bag. WOOT!

Algebra II, the most miserable class ever in vented, yet I was still in it. Most colleges like to see Algebra I and II on your resume, so I'd taken it. My hopes for college had pretty much died, however. I'd discovered that I was a mutant a few months back. My teeth started falling out. It was pretty gross, to tell you the truth. The first dentist was baffled until he say x-ray's, then he just threw us out. The third guy, I won't go into detail about the second, explained that new teeth were growing in, that I was a mutant, and would I please leave before he called the police? So my new teeth grew in, sharp, pointy teeth. It took me a while to relearn to chew food, biting my tongue would pierce it straight through. Next my eyes changed. This was (and still is) the best part of my mutation, since my vision improved wonderfully. My mutation gave me the eyes of a hawk during the day and of a cat at night. My pupils and iris's also took on the shape and color of a cats, kind of gold with slits for pupils. I thought it was cool, even if my classmates thought less of me for it.  
So I'm one of those mutants that can't really pass for human unless I continually wore sunglasses and kept my mouth closed, but the entire 'hiding from the public' thing wasn't really an issue for me. My other 'gift' was being unseen. I couldn't go invisible, but people just didn't seem to notice me. Their eyes would pass right over me and would only really see me if I made a noise or something to get their direct attention. I've never been a loud person, so this wasn't a problem either. Even as a child I was the quiet one that was sort of, well, forgotten. So this mutation just made it seem cooler than before. So no one noticed me in the school to harass me about my extra chromosome or what ever it was that made me different. People in my school weren't too mutant-friendly anyway.

I wasn't the only mutant by the way. There were a few more. We only had a hundred people in our high school, so word got around quickly if anyone was 'outed'. I was one of the obvious ones. It didn't hurt my social stature any. I only had one good friend nicknamed Wolf, and i HAD a few other people that I'd hung out with at school. This one girl completely ditched me as soon as I'd told her. She spread the news to anyone who would bother to listen to her after that. So it was just me and Wolf, who had been my best friend since the 4th grade. Wolf was a mutant too, but her mutations weren't visible like mine. She could shape shift into a wolf, which I still find incredibly ironic since her nickname had been Wolf since the seventh grade. That has got to be one of the coolest powers in my opinion. Totally trumps mine. And she could also heal animals with her touch, also handy. No one knew that she had the X-Gene, but me (made me feel special).

For me, school was tolerable but slightly pointless. Not many colleges accepted mutants. There was also talk that the school was going to "remove" the mutants. Aint it a kick in the head?

We only had two teachers fighting for mutant rights. Our science teacher, Mr. Taylor, and our english teacher, Mr. Bouchard.

Mr. Taylor thought that us mutants were interesting. Any time that we wanted to get out of an assignment, we'd just get him into a discussion about the recent human evolution. He explained that my ability to be unseen was probably some form of telepathy, intercepting messages that ran between other people's eyes and brains. He had no idea what my eyes and teeth were for, except that, perhaps, my third mutation was a camouflage instinct to hide my other ones. When I'd asked about shape shifting (for Wolf's sake, she couldn't reveal her mutation, I wouldn't let her). He'd seen it as a sort of molecular adaptation. I didn't understand half of what he was explaining, but, hey, it got me out of an assignment.

Mr. Bouchard just refused to see any difference in the kids after they had been revealed as mutants. We were still the same class, even if some of us looked like freaks. He urged us not to let prejudice hold us back. His words meant well, but he couldnt make the whole world see his way. He couldn't even make the school board see his way. By the last month of school, it was announced that mutants were no longer welcomed at Fairview High School. This received both cheers and boo's.

The school took blood tests of all the students. I was exempt (thank God) because it was already obvious that I was a mutant. This was the first time that I'd ever used my mutations consciously. I went as unnoticed as possible and switched Wolf's blood with some girl's that I knew wasn't a mutant. The girl would get retested...she was popular, in the honor society, in all the girl sports...she would get retested. I don't know if she ever did, but I had to keep telling myself this. I wouldn't let Wolf get kicked out of school. She could pass for normal. If she could get herself through college she could go on and do some good. Help the animals and all that...then she could support her unemployed mutant-freak friend (that'd be me).

That's how I got kicked out of school. All I had left to do was stay at home, which wasn't really an option. Don't get me wrong, my parents weren't all that bad. My mom just accepted it right off the bat. My dad was verbally anti-mutant until I was revealed as one, then he would defend me (not all mutants) if he had to. My older brother and younger sister thought it was cool, but my sister kept getting into fights at school, trying to stick up for her 'mutie sister'. See, this is the part that Xavier comes in.

No, he didn't come visit me, or even try to recruit me. Heck, I didn't even know at the time IF he could even detect me. I'd been looking up mutant schools on the web and stumbled across Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. At the time, I didn't know that it was the X-Men's base of operations, or whatever it's called. I just decided that I'd go there.

You see, I was planning on getting enough money for the trip and tell my parents and all. I only had $250 dollars in my bank account though. I'd gotten fired after my eyes changed. I worked in a grocery store and, all though the boss didn't have a problem with mutants, he was losing customers that did have a problem. He was real nice about it though.

That's when people started looking for me too. A couple FBI agents wanted me (I would get extremely low wage for risking my life, which they made clear was expendable). A few anti-mutant-terrorist groups came. The catch about them was that I'd kill alot of mutants who were all 'socially dangerous'. Then there was the kind of people that you just don't say no to; gangsters, dealers and mafia men. Don't ask me how they found out about my powers of 'invisibleness'. Maybe the school put us muties into the Mutant Registration Act. Who knows? But they showed up, gave me an offer and left. These guys were the last straw. My home was no longer safe, and neither was my family. So I left. I got my $250 and stole my mothers van. I didn't keep it...I left them a note.

" Don't worry. I'll call when I'm where I'm going. You can pick up the van in Glendive. Sorry for all the problems. Love you, Calla."

Glendive had the nearest bus station. I had to make it all the way to New York, so I snuck onto the bus without paying. Dishonorable, maybe, but I had no choice.

Everything was fine for awhile. I'd get off at whichever bus stop that I'd feel like, either steal or buy some food, and then hop the next bus going east. It was easy and, I'm almost ashamed to say, I was getting good at stealing. The problem was, I NEEDED a shower. The busses were air conditioned, but it was summer and I was starting to feel dirty. Any books or movies fail to mention how run-away's manage this obstacle. I finally couldn't take it anymore and got off at some larger city, not sure which one. There, I found some apartments and staked them out until I found one with a single woman. I studied her work habits for three days, sitting unnoticed in the hall corner. When I was sure that she'd be gone for a few hours, I'd wait for her to leave and dart in while she walked out. Then I made my self at home. That first time, I was so afraid that the lady would come back and catch a mutant using her blow dryer and scream her head off till some lynch mob came after me. No one came, but I didn't loiter there to find out. By mid July I was an expert on getting in and out of people's houses, also, I'd figured that security systems with motion detectors didn't pick me up. If Xavier's school didn't accept me, I guess that I could always fall back on burglary.

All this sneaking around really toned up my powers. I could go completely unnoticed in public as long as I stayed out of people's way and didn't bump anyone. I was invisible in the dark and, with my night-vision-cat-eyes, I'd started lurking through cities for long periods at night. It was fun for awhile. With my luck, though, of course something bad had to happen. I started to realize that it was increasingly difficult to become NOTICED. I spent an entire week and a half in August actually buying bus tickets and focusing on being noticed. I had to keep sun glasses on and, of course, refrain from opening my mouth and revealing my pretty pointed teeth. So if anyone tried to talk to me on the bus or anything, I produced a 'borrowed' pad of paper and pen and scribbled out that I was mute, but could hear and for them to please not yell--which they tended to do anyway. Very few people did talk to me, though. I had to go back to being unnoticed when I started developing a new mutation.

Yea, my luck again. I was growing claws. I'd noticed my fingernails thickening, but I figured it was some weird reaction due to my abnormal diet recently--grab anything in the store that I could quietly sneak out with. But then my nails started to curl and grow pointy. I was turning into a freaking cat. I couldn't clip them either, that HURT. So I went back to stealing and sneaking. I admit, I was getting cocky about my skills. I'd left early June and it was now the first week of September and I'd made it to Pennsylvania. Here went my luck again tho. At the Penn/New York border, the bus was stopped. Supposedly, the state wanted to keep track of mutants that were entering. Their search dog found me. I guess my scent doesn't go away like the rest of me. They made me get off the bus and the driver 'forgot' to wait for me to get back on. It's ok. I was riding with a bunch of bigots anyway. The Mutant-Police-Wanna-Be's explained that they'd need my name and proof of ID to match with the files from Mutant Registration. If I wasnt in there, we'd have to go to HQ (swear to God, that's what they called it) and register me. Apparently, reaching for my wallet in my back pocket was a hostile action. One of their batons slammed into my stomach while the other's hit me in the back of the head while I doubled over.

The next thing that I knew, I was being dragged carelessly out of the back of their cruiser with my hands cuffed behind my back. Struggling caused me to be hit more. Just to tell you, I've got alot of French temper running through my veins. These guys were making me angry. I twisted and turned, clawing and biting at anything available.

Yea...that was a dumb idea...I didn't wake up for awhile...

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REVIEWS! Good or Bad, I will personally respond to each of them (really, I'm only expecting a few, but the more the merrier)  
New chapter's coming up, promises promises.


	2. Chapter 2

Review responses:  
TruckerHat: Thanks for the vote of confidence 

Truest Tears: yea, she's a she. I'm glad you're enjoying, i kinda had doubts about posting this one. After your review, I'm more excited about sharing my writings.

The Bud: I wouldn't know, I've always been to regular school.

Wolf: Bout time! Love ya.

Quote: "Patience, n. A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue"  
-Ambrose Bierce,

Ch. 2 WOOT!

I woke up to metal bars. I was in some kind of cage. Yes, cage, not prison. I could crouch, but not even really kneel properly. There was a loud roaring noise and it took me a minute to realize that I was on some kind of cargo plane. We were also, apparently, landing, which normally required seatbelts. Cages are not the best way to fly OR land, let me tell you.

The doors opened and some serious muscle came thru and started lugging my cage outside. "Hey! Where am I?" I demanded.

To my slight surprise, someone answered, "A small Hawaiian island, set apart for mutants like you." The voice was pleasant and belonged to a well dressed man standing several feet from where I was set.

"Why?" I wasn't pleasant.

"Because you're dangerous"

"So are cougars," first thing that came to my still confuzzled mind, "but ya don't ship them all ta some remote island do ya?"

"Most cougars don't attack law enforcement men trying to do their jobs." His voice was still pleasant, which was a little bit creepy.

"Most law enforecment men don't pull on cougars' tails." I was glaring up at him, which, I realize, could have been potentially dangerous.

He looked amused for a moment before responding, "But most cougars would be SHOT for attacking anyone, and should be grateful for being relocated"

"Point taken." I leaned back against one of the barred walls and took up a look of boredom before continuing, "Lucky for me I ain't a cougar then, eh?" A small smile tugged at my lips, it was a nervous habit, smiling. I'd cut down since the teeth thing, but it still came back to me often enough.

"Indeed, but you Are a mutant, which seems worse than any animal in most people's books," he stood looking down at me with his hands clasped behind his back, although his voice wasn't as sickeningly sweet, it was still politely conversational.

"And what about in Your books, Mr..." I casually picked at some dry blood under my claws, every fiber of my being screaming at me that I was NOT in a good place.

"I am Mr. Blackstone. And mutants are simply workers to me"

I felt myself go still and looked up at him sharply, "Ya mean ya expect me ta be some slave." I hadn't put it in a question. I'd heard stories, from other mutants online and such, of places and people like this. Slavers who used mutants' current lack of constitutionally-spelled-out-rights as excuse to use them as slaves, or worse.

"My, you're a smart one, but no...not slave. You'll work for me and in turn you'll receive food and shelter. It's manual labor, which I'm told you mutants are good at. There is one rule only: Do what you're told. Any disobedience will result in punishment as follows: First offense will receive three days in The Hole; Second offense is banishment to a nearby island where you'll have to survive on your own if the other banished ones don't kill you first. Have I made the rules clear"

I gave him an icy look but he seemed unfazed. "Perfectly clear." I managed in somewhat of a growl. That was when I realized that my mannerisms were becoming more cat-like along with my physical appearance. Hopefully I wouldn't grow a tail.

"Splendid," he replied politely again, "Now, what is your name"

I realized that my wallet had been dropped when I was first confronted by the wanna-be policemen. "C-," I started, then stopped myself from using my real name. With a smirk, I finished, "Cougar"

He stared at me a moment, pen poised above what looked like a black day planner. Nevertheless, he scribbled it down before continuing, "Very well. And your powers"

"I held my hands out in a gesture and shrugged, "Whatcha see is whatcha get, Blackstone"

Something resembling a cattle prod was jammed at my back and electricity shot thru me with more power than a normal prod. "That's MR. Blackstone, mutie," one of the muscle men rumbled in a baritone voice.

I glared back from my knees in the cage where I was panting and pried my claws out of my own palms. "Settle down, Steroids," I growled up at him, earning a fierce kick at the cage. He didn't electrocute me again tho, ah, Life's little blessings.

"Take her to Hut 12," Blackstone ordered as he turned to leave. Oops, sorry, it's MR. Blackstone, my bad.

My cage was hauled and dumped unceremoniously onto the dirt floor of a primitive hut. Keys were produced and the lock was opened. The goons backed away with cattle prods at ready until we 'muties' were out of sight. My new home was shared with four others. A blonde teenage boy introduced himself as Mathew Pike. He then motioned towards the others and gave their names for them. The black, mid-20's looking woman was Erica Swinson, the boy with a mop of curly black hair around 18 or 19 was Jason Porter and the late 30's looking man with thinning brown hair was Jake Mason. They looked expectantly at me. "Just Cougar," I answered their stares while my eyes scanned my new living quarters. Dirt floor was decorated with five platforms containing only a blanket, a chamber pot sat on the floor in the corner. The hut itself looked like something off of Gilligan's Island, except that the leaves on the walls were brown and dried. There was also no door but mosquito netting draped over the frame that allowed the only light into the room. "This is SO unconstitutional," I muttered.

"We're all mutants here, we HAVE no constitution," the Jason guy said, clearly disgusted. I could tell that he was willing to fight for freedom. Not that I had a plan yet or anything, but he was a potential.

"But it's not so bad here," the older man, Jake stated firmly. He seemed like he'd given up on everything and accepted his fate as a slave. I immediately disliked him.

Mathew made a face, "Yea, even if we're denied our God-given rights"

"No one likes it here," the only other woman I'd seen yet, interjected. She had an eastern accent, unlike my own Midwestern drawl, "but it beats being dead for what we are and we get fed too."

I figured her to be the peace keeper of the lot. I also noted that it was a clash of generations. Us younger kids who'd been brought up into a world of freedoms refused to admit that they could be stolen, while the adults were just trying to see the bright side and be grateful for it, however small.  
I hate optimism in a hopeless situation, but have enough vinegar in my veins to keep fighting. "So what are the chances of escaping"

"Slim to none," Jason flopped down on a 'bed'." I liked him, the fellow pessimist. "Unless you're a champion-long-distance swimmer," he added

"How many people are here?" What could it hurt to gather some info.

"Sixty mutants upon your arrival and two dozen guards, and Mr. Blackstone," Erica answered. I then noticed that her skin was mode of tiny scales and that her short cropped hair was actually black feathers.

"So what's everyone's powers"

Erica answered first, "I look like a freak"

"I'm telekinetic, but can only move small things," Jake replied.

"I'm just really cool," Mathew said flirtatiously, then added seriously after I'd given him a dead look, "I'm an empath"

Jason didn't look at me but continued to stare at the ceiling while lying on his back and answering off handedly, "turn into stone"

I didn't share mine till Mathew asked. "Claws. Teeth. Eyes. I figure I'm turning into a cat or something. And I can go unnoticed..." I frowned suddenly, "which doesn't seem to be working right now"

"The island's shielded with some kind of power dampener force field. Active powers don't work," Erica answered and I wondered why she had all the answers. Call me suspicious.

There was a sudden loud siren, sounding like a fire alarm that made me jump and whirl towards the door. The others automatically moved to their beds. "What's that"

"Mean's lights out...just like a prison," Jason answered for me and gestured toward a platform next to Erica.

"Co-ed dorms? Better than college, eh?" My dry sarcasm was unappreciated, so I went to my new bed. Everything went dark suddenly. I could still see fairly well, however, and watched the happenings outside the door. Guards moved from hut to hut doing a head count. Others scanned the high, razor-wired fence surrounding the perimeter. I didn't know what was beyond the fence that first night.

Most people would probably say something dramatic at this point, like 'I'll never forget that first night.' It wasn't all that life-altering to tell the truth. Every two hours the guards would do a head count, flashlights pointed in our faces. I'm a light sleeper so every time one of them walked past the door I woke up some, if not completely. The hut sweeps didn't seem to phase my room mates, who either just scrunched up their faces, turned over or, in Jason's case, raised his arm in a mock-Nazi salute.

We were awoken with the same siren that had announced lights-out. I watched everyone get up quickly and line up at the door. Mathew leaned in and whispered, "We're not allowed to talk during breakfast or work, just to let you know" I'm not a morning person. At home I would go thru my morning in the dark until I had to go downstairs to eat. The rest of my family seemed to need the light, go figure. But I wouldn't talk until I got to school, and very little then until the period before lunch. So the 'don't talk' thing was great for me. I nodded in understanding. Two guards came in and frisked us. Really, what'd they expect us to make a weapon from, dirt? I'd already checked the beds, the wood was glued together, no nails or screws that I could steal.

Our breakfast consisted of a bowl of soupy oatmeal, toast and a glass of luke-warm water. Yummy. But I was hungry so I ate it. A whistle blew and everyone filed out to work. I never did find out what the manual labor was...No, I didn't do anything stupid like get thrown in the hole.

Well...OK, yea, fine, but it wasn't my fault, honestly. Some guards stopped me and looked between me and an ID card he held. "Come with me," he said flatly. My hut-mates exchanged anxious looks but I just shrugged and let the guy take me.I was brought to MR. Blackstone, who still held a polite smile. "Do you know why you're here?" He asked. What a stupid question, right? I looked over my shoulder at the guard who had brought me and then back, shrugging. "You were actually brought to my island because, in part, of your aggressive reaction toward those certain law enforcement men." He seemed to be awaiting a response so I shrugged again. He continued, "I needed a savage-looking mutant for publicity reasons. I'm going to 'tame' you for the public. I won't use force, unless needed, as long as you cooperate, you should be fine. Do you understand?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. I really did prefer having animal-like qualities; in my opinion animals were better than people in most aspects. I didn't like his use of the word 'tame.

He continued, unaware, "You see, most people view mutants as below human. Much like dangerous animals with out a sense of morals. You fit the stereotype perfectly as long as you growl, snarl and hiss like your name-sake." He looked at me slightly amused again, "What do you say"

To be honest, the words, 'screw you', were very close to my lips, but I already said that I didn't talk much in the morning, so I just glowered at him.

"Good," he nodded, pleased with himself. I wondered briefly if he was retarded. Guards grabbed me from behind at his nod. I knew they would and I could have tried to slip their grasp, but I obeyed them eagerly. If he wanted a house cat, he'd get one.

They stuck me in my cage from before and loaded me back into the plane. Blackstone followed, giving me instructions, "Rattle the cage, create the biggest fuss you can for this first scene. Don't say anything, no real words. Do you understand?" I continued glaring. "Good, keep that look." He left the plane and the door was closed for me to re-enter the island. One of the goons next to me straightened his shirt for the camera. Dork.

I heard a muffled introduction thru the door before it rolled open. I was ready. The camera zoomed in on me, sitting Indian style, straight backed and meditating calmly. My claws were hidden in my palms so the only thing they saw was some teenage girl sitting placidly in a cage.

"CUT!" A man bellowed. I presumed he was the director. "Why isn't it thrashing around"

I opened my eyes calmly, "Simple," I replied quietly, "I'm not some monster because of my appearance. However, you, Mr. Director, are one. Along with many others on this island for trying to portray me, a confused child in a brand new place, a slave camp none the less, as some rabid beast." I used my most excellent speech voice.

The man stared at me dumbly then turned to a frowning Blackstone, "Make it do something."

I continued to look serene as he approached me. "You are going to make this more difficult for yourself that you have to, " he tried to reason with me. "I can get you one more chance," he continued with a slight threatening tone. I noticed that he had a tinge of an accent. "If you cannot cooperate, I'll have to let the guards use another form of persuasion. Now, what do you say"

He stared at me and I let him for a few moments, acting like I was pondering it before I spoke, "Do you have an English accent?" He frowned again before motioning the guards to load me back on the plane. "No, really?" I piped back, being ignored. How rude.

Once again the door was pulled open and I was brought out. I came out the same way as before but this time I spoke, "Hello. I am a slave in American and asking"

"Cut! Cut! CUT!" The director interrupted my nice little speech. "Make it cooperate!" he barked at Blackstone...oops, MR. Blackstone...who was already stalking toward my cage.

"You are embarrassing me," he hissed once we were out of earshot from everyone else. I saw anger as his first real emotion before he re-composed himself and asked, "You won't cooperate?"

I shook my head.

"Fine. I don't encourage physical persuasion, but neither do I discourage it." He nodded to the goons behind me and I heard the electric prods shove in through the bars.

I'm not sure how long I resisted. It felt like a whole day, but the sun had moved only about an hour, probably. Most of that time period is a haze. I did try my hardest not to give in, but... Remember that French temper? Yea, it got the better of me again. So I eventually reached out and ripped my nifty little claws through some guard's leg. I STILL say it was his fault. Idiot stands right within my reach...Well, next thing I know, I'm slamming into the side of the cage and tipping it over on the guy. I really can't remember very clearly what happened. It was kind of a dream-like feeling. Everything was crystal clear during it all, but as soon as a moment passed, it seemed to fade away. Apparently I played the 'rabid mutant monster' part well. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Once again I woke up in a strange place. I decided it was 'the hole' since, all it was, was a hole in the ground, like an old well. For three days I went without food and only a gallon jug of water to last the entire ordeal. I actually kind of liked it, besides the starving part, which goes to show you how screwed up I am, huh? At the end of my sentence, a basket was lowered for me to climb into to re enter the slave world.

Upon emerging from the hole, Mr. Blackstone himself greeted me, narrating for the filming camera behind him."And now, after solitary adjustment, the subject is ready to accept its role on my small island sanctuary." He turned to me and spoke slowly, as if to a dim child, "Are you ready to behave like a good mutant now?" His voice was pleasant, but his face held a warning: Don't screw up.

I opened my mouth but had to swallow twice before actual words formed. When I could do more than croak (which all the director really wanted was a meek nod) I spat out the preamble of the U.S. Constitution, "We the people of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, establish JUSTICE, ensure domestic tranquility--" I was cut off again.

"What's it DOING?!" the director screeched.

"I'm reciting the American constitution. The thing that Founded this great country. Home of the free and all that," I made a vague sweep of my hand, gesturing all of the U.S.

He stared at me dully and turned to Blackstone, "How does it know this? Is it a mind reader?" his voice suddenly grew higher with panic, "I thought they couldn't use their powers? Is it sneaking through my mind"

I made a disgusted noise in my throat, which got both men's attention. "Jeeze, yer stupidity is appallin'. Didn't they teach you ANYTHING in yer school? We learned that in the 6th grade"

Blackstone gave me another disapproving look and assured the other that the power shield was up and running. He then addressed me, "Do you find yourself amusing, Cougar"

I didn't recognize his tone. It could have been dangerous, but I answered swiftly, "quite." He didn't have any facial expression to my answer, but his eyes held some humor, maybe. Or I'm just an optimist.

"Take it from the TOP!" the director bellowed in his obnoxious voice. Once more I was brought into view and asked the same question. This time I started reciting the Lord's Prayer, emphasizing certain words. "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy WILL be done, on EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. Give us this day our daily bread, and FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, as we FORGIVE those who trespass against us. And lead us not into TEMPTATION, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen." I was surprised that I'd made it all the way through it this time.

Blackstone only sighed and looked at me with a hint of regret, "I'm sorry that it is come to this, I really did enjoy your dry sense of humor, but I did give you more than enough chances. Goodbye, 'Cougar'." He motioned to someone behind me.

His words confused me, but I didn't have time to ponder them, I started to dodge his goons. It really didn't help since they were only trying to distract me long enough for one of them to shoot me with a tranquilizer gun. Ever been hit with one? It hurts, but the pain went away quickly, along with my consciousness.

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Reviews plz. I'm trying to get these chapters out, but I have such limited time...The next one will be shorter, tho, so we'll see.


	3. Chapter 3

Review responses: Very dissapointing (j/k)

Wolf: That's a crappy review, i'll expect better next time. nods luv ya.

Quote: I have this nagging fear that everyone is out to make me paranoid.  
--Unknown

Chapter 3

Really, you'd think that I'd be used to waking up in strange places by now, wouldn't you? Good, because I kind of was.

This time I woke up on a sandy beach. Yea, an all-expense paid vacation. (That was sarcasm, by the way). I must have been lying there fro quite a while, because the backs of my legs and arms were sun burnt. I was wearing my cut off shorts and a tank top-the clothes that I'd arrived in.I guessed that I was on Exile Island. There was some good news tho (That's a first, right?). The place must not have been 'power shielded' because I'd been there long enough for the other banished mutants to find me and they hadn't. To prove my point, a green mutant covered in slime walked past me with out even a glance.

I got up, a little stiffly, and followed him back into the forest. Or would it be considered a jungle? Anyway, he led me to a clearing with a fire in the middle and mutants milling around it. Perhaps they weren't cannibals as I was told. I mean, come on, look at my source.

"Hey Slimy," a guy with an Australian accent said in the direction of my oblivious guide, "did you find the new mutant on your rounds"

A very baritone voice came from Slimy, "Negative"

"Maybe," a tall woman with vines for hair chimed in, "they didn't drop anyone off. It might have been another island population count"

"Then why did they stop and not just fly over like always?" a guy with horns growing out of his forehead joined the discussion.

The Australian guy spoke again, "If we can't find them alive, we'll eventually find them dying or dead. They probably didn't have any valuable powers anyway. Blackstone has been getting picky about the imported mutants." He turned toward the woman and ordered, "Gather the people for dinner"

I hadn't eaten in over three days, remember, so the mention of food made me weak at the knees. I still wasn't sure about whether or not to make my self noticed or not, but I knew that I HAD to get some food. I didn't see any a that moment, though.

"My People!" The Australian man raised his voice to address everyone in the clearing, who had gone instantly silent. "Once again, I shall provide food for the survival of mutants." I had figured that he was the leader and with just cause. Food appeared out of the very stones, sticks and leaves that had been piled by the fire. Bread, meat, gallons of milk, butter, it all replaced the piles of debris.The Problem (For there always was one)? No one made a move for it. They all stared at their leader with pleading eyes. He stared back, unmoving. Finally, he walked forward and selected his own meal, the best, no doubt. After he had taken his share and began walking away, he motioned with he free hand. Instantly the people dove for the food, me included. There was a scramble, but I emerged with two sandwiches and moved to the edge of the firelight. There I sat, hunched and invisible in the shadows and stuffed my face.

By the time that I was half done with my second sandwich, I noticed a woman standing off to the side of the people. She wasn't acting timid and letting the others eat first. She was just watching them. Then she turned abruptly on her heel and headed in the direction that the leader had gone. I wasn't all that curious about the matter, but I followed anyway. She led me to a sort of lean to. I couldn't duck in, but I could stay back in the treeline and watch her and the leader.

"That was quite a show of power out there, Andrew," she stated boldly.

Obviously, it had been too much power. Andrew was lying on the pile of dried grass and looking exhausted, but he answered, "If there is a new mutant on the island, and if they saw that, they'll know that I'm the only chance for survival." He motioned toward a pile of food near him, "Help yourself, Ilene." She did, but unlike the others, she ate with quiet digninty.

I knew the place wasn't safe. I'd also learned all that I needed to for the night. I was tired and thirsty. Leaving them talking about the group's worth, I set out through the jungle. The island wasn't all that small, really. I walked an hour through the darknss, letting the silver of the waxing moon guide me straight. After I felt far enough away from the others, I searched for a safe place to sleep. My luck finally found me and took pity. I came across a fresh water stream. Drinking only enough to quench my thirst, I stood up and wiped my mouth, noting that the stream was flowing downhill. Like all those hokey Hollywood movies, there was a small mountain in the middle of the island. The source of the stream came from the side of the mountain, a small hole. Having nothing to lose, really, I went in.

Now, remember, I have a cat's night vision, so I could take the scene in easily. It was a medium sized cavern, complete with its own lake. I didn't see any obvious signs of the place being frequented by anyone, so I left and came back with a large armful of dead grass and leaves. Piling my bedding on a dry, slightly elevated ledge, I plopped down and fell instantly to sleep.

When I woke up next, the first thing I noticed was that I was very cold. The cavern was underground and cold. The second thing that I noticed was that I was hungry, but I was getting used to that. I crawled out of my new home cautiously, blinking in the bright light.

Disappointment greeted me at the mutant camp. Andrew hadn't fed his people. I was confident (no, that is NOT a foreign word to me, just a rare one), that I could find some form of nutrition for myself. Plunging back into the foliage, I came across berries and ate a few cautiously. They weren't bad tasting, but better safe than sorry. That's all I ate that first day, and when I woke with no symptoms the next day of poisoning, I went back and picked a shirt full, eating enough to quiet my stomach. I tried a new berry later that day and waited for some sign of illness. I dried out the safe berries in the sun outside of my cave.

I knew that I couldn't survive on berries alone, so I searched my home and, upon finding proper ventilation for smoke to escape, I decided that a fire could be made.

A fire meant two things. 1.) heat, for the place was always too cool for my skimpy clothing; and 2.) a way to cook any meat that I might acquire. Not to bore you, I'll just state that it is VERY difficult to start a fire without flint or matches.

So, I spent a few months on the island. I fished in shallow pools by the ocean, I ate anything that I could find, bugs, rodents, fowl. I tried various fruits and only got violently ill twice (YAY ME). It was kind of cool at first, the half starving part aside. Then, after I'd learned all there was to learn about it (not much), I saw it for what it was: a God forsaken spit of land, hell bent on destroying me.

So how did I get off of the island? Well, read the next chapter, obviously.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

See, short chapter and quick post. You're Welcome.


	4. Chapter 4

Review Replies Stardate: I dont know what Lost is...oh, wait, I assume that you're talking about that T.V. show about the plane crash on the island. Good show, but I got too busy to watch it. I remembered that I liked the Character Sawyer (who was origionally cast for the role of Gambit in the X-Men3 movie, but gave up the part because it was too much like his Lost character--ironic, no?)

Truest Tears: Sorry, I completely left out all description, She doesnt really have mirrors where she is, I'll try to fit it in somewhere in this chapter then. And I'm not really into writing the romance stuff, but maybe in future fic's I might consider it. Thanks for the long review. :D

glennscm: Thanks, I try.

SoulMama: Heh, thanks, Happy Holidays then and sorry this was such a long wait. But the chapters extra long and it took me maybe four hours to finish this morning, so I hope i don't dissapoint.

Wolf: Awww, shucks, no one else noticed my creativity of the black letterings on the blank white paper...you're so KIND to notice. :P

THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS (I say Holidays because I don't wish to offend anyone by saying any specific holiday, as we're a very divided house hold when it comes to the december holiday--a wiccan yule tree at my mothers house this year)

Quote: I have CDO, it's like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but it's in alphabetical order, as it should be.  
--Readers Digest

Chapter 4

Oh...yer still here?...Wow...That's pretty cool. Well, I'll return to the present for a short time, just to get some of the suspense going, and to make you ask those annoying questions like, "..wait...What?..."

Now, you should all remember that THE Wolverine is pinning me to a wall? Good memory.

"Can I help ya?" the man asks dangerously.

I try to respond, moving my throat as little as possible, but as I have a nasty chest cold at the time, all I get is a choking noise then I erupt in a coughing fit. His claws pierce my skin, but I don't notice it as my body is too busy bent over in rattling hacks, including alotta gross mucus...yum. Once I catch my breath and straighten I notice the small line of blood trickling down my throat. Touching it, my fingers come away crimson and I have to stare at it for a moment for my brain to register it. Did I mention that I probably have a fever along with this cold? No? Well my brain is melting, so no wonder I forgot, right?

"You cut me!" I finally manage. My voice comes out a little too indignant for someone who just entered his home with out consent. But it makes me mad! So I blow him backwards and through the wall with my cool powers. This is one of those "wait, what?" moments. I don't have any cool powers? You're right. I don't. Now, if you didn't remember that, go back to the previous chapters. Go! I'll wait...Back? Good. Now, all I really did was yell at him and scowl.

"Not much gets past you, huh?" he growls in response. Then his grip tightens on my arm and he rips my dagger from my hand. "They sendin' kids ta assassinate Chuck now?" I'm pretty sure the question was rhetorical. I don't even have time to answer sarcastically because he starts dragging me down the hall, still muttering to himself. "Didn't even let ya infiltrate the school as a student, did they? Ya must be a bad actor, kid"

"What're ya babblin' about?" I finally decide to speak up. "And who's 'They'? I don't work for nobody." I try to release his hold on my arm but his fingers only tighten. Oh well, I'm not much of a bruiser anyway.

He leads me down an elegant (growing up in North Dakota, of course it seems elegant to me) hall and stops to knock on an office door.

"Come in, Logan," a man's voice says from the otherside before the actual first knock.

I'm dragged into the room and forcibly sat down in front of the desk. At least the seats comfy, I haven't really had a chance to rest in a while. I stare at the bald man seated behind the desk, the famous Charles "Mutants-and-humans-can-live-together-in-peace" Xavier. Bull. I shift uneasily as his eyes slowly focus on me.

"Hey," Wolverine grips my shoulder and glares down at me, "Stay visible."

In response, I wrench my shoulder away and stop the growling that's growing louder from my throat. I'm not use to people seeing me, not my fault.

Xavier looks at the other man with a question in his eyes.

"She snuck past security systems. No one even noticed her until I picked up her scent. She got to the second floor."

Now they both look at me. My first reaction is to not be noticed. But I can't go completely invisible, so they still study me. My second reaction is to glare back.

"She had this." My dagger is handed to the bald man. "She coulda been sent after you. She smells like Creed, too."

I open my mouth to protest but the Professor interjects, "I doubt that Eric is really sending assassins after me."

Again I open my mouth, only to be interrupted, this time by the other man. "Maybe Creed aint workin' for him. Could be that the government got their hands on him. They'd like ta see ya dead."

"I was NOT," I finally get in, "here ta kill anyone."

"Try explaining the Sabertooth smell then, kid."

I scowl but answer, "I was wearing his coat. I had to keep warm somehow."

"Why were you sneakin' around?"

"I haven't been..." I pause, looking for the right word, "...visible...for a long time. It's harder ta be noticed then not."

"Dagger?" Wolverine continues to interrogate me.

"Oh, yea. YOU pinpoint me with a look of a psychopath and come barreling towards me. I'm NOT 'spose ta react?" I know, sarcasm isn't the best thing to burst out with.

Now he scowls at me, "What're ya doin' here, then?"

"I heard this place welcomed mutants. If I'm WRONG," I shake off his restraining hand and stand up, "I can just leave."

Xavier leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers, "You were not mistaken. This is my school for those with gifts. I must say, your own gift is rather intriguing. I still can't sense your psychic presence and your seated right in front of me." He studies me for a moment with his brow slightly creased.

"Yea, I'd rather ya Not try ta sneak through my head."

"His dark eyebrows shoot up, "You can sense my--"

"Nope," I interrupt him, "but yer a telepath. They like ta snoop through minds."

His lips twitch slightly, "Very well, please, take back your seat. I'd like to have a chat."

I glance back at the Wolverine, then take my seat. What can I lose? Nothing, right. "Sure."

"Would you mind explaining, for Mr. Logan's peace of mind, why you were wearing Sabertooth's coat?"

I sigh, a little too loudly. I'm tired, I feel like crap, I supposedly smell like that waste of flesh Creed, and I'm being interrogated by some guy that I was told only a month ago to kill. Yea. Re-read that last part. So when one is in this particular situation, just blurt out the truth. "O.K., lets put this in the back-cover version." I start, "Magneto picked me up three months ago. Him and Creed taught me some stuff, they said it would only be ta protect myself. Turns out, since they knew psychics couldn't pick me up, I was spose ta come kill as many of yer X-Men as I could, get some computer files for something or another, and, if I get the chance, kill you too." I can feel the tension in the room rise. "But," I continue, "I don't do the kill thing. I escaped about three weeks ago. I've been running from Creed since. I swiped his coat cuz I was up in Canada somewhere. It's cold up there."

The men exchange a look and Wolverine says in a calm voice, "I can smell a lie kid."

Now...now I am mad. I turn on him with a glare, "Well, bully for you! I aint lyin' so ya aint smellin' my lies. Yer smellin' my annoyance at the both of ya!" When I'm angry, my 'accent', if it can be called that, thickens somewhat. Dad was a hick, so I picked it up as a child.

The man stares back at me coldly and I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up, just like with Sabertooth. "I didn't say ya were," he says back calmly.  
I stop glaring and start to growl, quickly checking myself. Then I start another coughing fit. Not quite as long as the last one though.

"Logan, perhaps you should take her to the infirmary for that cough," Xavier, the peacekeeper interjects at this point. "I'll send Jean down to giver her a tour and she can be in her team." Then he turns to me and says kindly, "Welcome to Xavier's school for Gifted Youngsters."

Yea. I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this school though. Oh well. I'll stay through the winter, then maybe I'll run again. It seems to be the only thing that I'm good at; that and stealing, can't forget stealing. Anyway, I nod and get up, slightly dizzy after the coughing, and follow the guy who had just threatened me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Time Warp: Back to my little Island O' Cougar XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been a month since I was dumped by the creep Blackstone. MR. Blackstone, my bad. I've been sneaking around the island, stealing when I could or just hunting and gathering. Life was in a major rut, till I heard a plane land.

Upon my arrival on the beach, I saw a lump of human, or rather, mutant. It's Jason from the slave camp. Why he got to be awake during the air trip and I couldn't is still beyond me. It takes an effort, but he finally notices me standing next to him.

"Hey, Cougar, right?" he's smiling. Why in God's name was he smiling. Cuz he's a pessimist, so in a horrible situation, he, like me, sees it as great, cuz the only worse thing is death. Still with me? Good. Cuz he was about to be dead.

"Get up, they'll kill ya if they find ya." My own voice was hoarse from the days of silence.

"Who?" he asked but rose obediently.

"Shh..." I grabbed him by the wrist and led him through the jungle on an irregular path until we came across the stream. I plunged in and started wading upstream towards my sanctuary.

Jason hesitated. "I don't want to get my shoes soaked," he explained in a whisper, which saved him from me slugging him from being too noisy.

"In that case," I growled back, "I'll take them off yer corpse and keep 'em nice 'n dry after yer dead. They're following our path. We gotta lose them in the stream. Get over having wet shoes." O. K. So I was a bit harsh. But by this time, my own shoes were inefective and I'd had to toss them a while ago. I was now running around primitively barefoot and not really liking it.

"How do you know that they'll kill me?" he challenged but followed nonetheless.

"Cuz I saw them kill someone not too long ago. I couldn't get to them fast enough." I was having nightmares about the grizzly sight. I was, however, prepared to elaborate on the event to keep him moving, but he chose wisely to finally shut up.

We made it back to my dwelling (what, you want me to call it my home?) without incident. My fire from the morning had burned down to red coals and I added more fuel for Jason to dry himself. He seemed a bit winded from the climb, but otherwise he was fine. I offered him some food--fish (my main diet)-- and he wolfed it down hungrily. He'd get sick of it soon enough.

Stopping between mouthfuls, he looked up at me and asked, "So, what actually happened to you? I mean, you just kinda showed up then disappeared."

So I told him my story. He thought I was pretty funny with all of my responses. I thought I was stupid. By that time, I was beginning to wish that I had cooperated. "So what about you?"

"I beat up a guard when he got too rowdy with Erica."

I shook my head, "Sorry, I'm not too great with remembering names."

"The black girl from our hut."

"Oh." We sat in silence for a moment. I was use to the quiet, but he seemed uncomfortable. I moved to peer out of my 'door' and the motion seemed to startle him. I realized he hadn't seen me during the time. Looking over the land, I saw that everyone was gathered around the clearing. "Stay here, you can sleep over there if you need to. I'll be back in a bit."

Jason started to ask something, but I slipped out the entrance with out looking back. If Andrew made a show of power for me, he'd make one for Jason too, and I wanted to be there at the beginning so that no one would notice a random body among the scrabbling hoard. My instincts were right, and I arrived just in time to hear his little speech and dive into the pile with the rest. I grabbed without prejudice and immediately made my way back before I could be noticed.

"Eat." My command woke my new room mate. Andrew was smart. All of the food he provided would be perishable, then, no one could save anything for later. I explained all this while shoving my mouth full of food with actual taste. "So, lemme see yer power," I said around mouthfuls.

He swallowed and obliged, turning himself into a humanish statue. Then he walked around. Mobility in rock form was good. "I can also turn into a boulder if I curl up." he demonstrated, blending into my cave walls.

"That's good. Do that if ya hear anyone coming."

I'll skip a week but give ya the briefing. I taught him to fish, build a fire and which berries and forage to eat. Then my luck changed. Of course, it changed for the worse, but I didn't know it at the time.

I woke up with a feeling that something was different. Instinct from my mutations or Intuition from my natural womanly intuition, either way, something was different. Jason and I made our ways down to the clearing where we saw people huddled. That was the first time that I saw Magneto.

He was flanked by a green tinted man and a very large guy with cat-like features. The cat man made a sniffing noise and his eyes locked on me. My hackles rose in response. Magneto was lecturing about the injustice of the island and how he was here to liberate us. Music to my ears but my gut was telling me to take a hike. I touched the boulder that was Jason and led him a ways away.

"I got a bad feeling 'bout these guys," I said in a whisper.

"You gotta be kidding me! Did you NOT hear them?" he whispered back urgently

"Yea. He wants us pile into that metal thingy, then he'll float us up to who knows where. What if he works for Blackstone? He might be sent here to drop us into the ocean for all we know."

"Well, no offense, but I'll take that over this," he made an angry gesture of the island. A week and HE was tired of it?! Wussy city kid...

"Then go with him. I'm going back tot he cave." And I did. Jason didn't follow and that made me angry. The anger made me careless of my tracks.

I was probably only there for ten minutes before I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up again. When I turned toward my door, the cat man stood there.

The green guy stood behind him and muttered in an Australian accent, "I don't see anybody."

"Of course not," the other growled, "She's invisible." He sniffed then added, "well, nearly. Come out girlie. We aint gonna hurt ya." Yea. Right.

The smaller one bounded, literally away and back in the direction of Magneto.

Big guy continued sniffing. He walked past me, standing stock still. "Gotcha!" His large, clawed hand wrapped around my upper arm.

I raked my own claws across the inside of his wrist and watched it knit back up and seal off before he even winced from it. "Aw, CRAP!"

"That wasn't nice," he hissed in my ear before flinging me towards my rock wall. I fell tot he floor and rolled easily to me feet. I'd taken Judo before my 'condition' formed. I was used to falling.

"That is enough, Creed," Magneto's voice boomed and echoed through the cave with authority. Big Guy, Creed, apparently, stopped advancing on me, clearly unhappy about it. He shot a glare at Green Guy who smirked behind Magneto.

"Are you alright, child?" Slowly he walked toward me and reached out a hand to touch my shoulder comfortingly.

I moved back and away from his reach. "Ya know, if ya got him neutered, it might improve his disposition. It did wonders for my cats." I dusted myself off as he chuckled over my remark.

Green Guy got a kick out of it too and asked Creed in a mushy voice, "Is that all you need little kitty cat? A trip to the vet?"

"Shut up or I'll tear out yer liver, Toad," he snarled in response. Who names their kid Toad?

Well, to skip over some boring parts, I went with Magneto. I was brought somewhere north of the U.S.A., Canada, maybe, or Alaska, who knows. He had a little colony of mutants, including my fellow exiles. Certain mutants were taken and trained in how own house. I was one of them., and Jason was taken too. We were the only Blackstone Exiles--as we'd been dubbed--to have this honor bestowed upon us. Woohoo.

We learned to fight, to kill, "if need be". Sabertooth himself taught me to use my claws as WEAPONS, not just eating utensils. We were taught and quizzed on different mutants around the world; the dangerous ones, the 'allies', the pawns of Magneto. From the Hellfire Club, Mr. Sinister, Apocalypse, Dr. Doom, The Green Goblin, to the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers and Spiderman. We learned of all the anti-mutant people out there and the things that they did that made Blackstone look like a Saint, or Schindler. And Magneto never tried to shield us from the horrors of the growing mutant vs. human war. Maybe he was brainwashing us. Maybe he was just oblivious to the fact that we were just kids. Either way, it fed Jason's bitterness and I watched it consume him. All he wanted was the destruction of humans. He'd spend hours trying to make me think the way he did, but I'm stubborn and kept opting for the possible 'Peace on Earth' scenario, naive, maybe, but it was MY belief, and I still had human family members.

Then one day, my bad luck caught up with me--inevitable, really.

My claws ripped through the skin and muscles of Sabertooth's abdomen and he let out a roar of pain as his intestines started to tumble out. Unfortunately, he just stuffed them back in and healed, then swatted me across the yard (the place where me and Creed had to train because we got to much blood on the floors if we were inside).

I rose from the ground to a crouch. A growl was rumbling from my chest and I knew that my lips were pulled back to reveal my fangs. I was growing increasingly feral in the two months with Creed as my mentor. He smiled at my response, so I 'rehumanized'. "Would'ja mind not flingin' me inta the trees? I don't have a healing factor, remember?" I rubbed at my shoulder, which had taken most of the blow.

"I think," he started, "yer ready. Go get Rocky."

Rocky was Jason's code name. Mine was Cougar, since I hadn't given any other name and they just accepted it as my mutant name and my choice. It's been my nickname for years and my online chat name, before my mutations had manifested. As far as I was concerned, away from home my real name didn't exist.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Jason entered the room late--as usual--but Magneto never minded. Jason was his little pet. Yea, that's said with slight resentment. Not that I was looking for his approval, but Jason could get away with murder while I still had a curfew. Creed liked me best, though. I relied on my instincts more than the other trainees, and we often had seperate sessions to expand on that little fact. Believe me, I didn't feel special.

"I've been informed that both of you have learned wonderfully well over the last two months," Magneto started.

Of course we did so well, all we did was train. Personally, I loved it; gave me something to do and kept me in shape. And of course Jason did too, with his 'lets destroy the human race' attitude.

"We believe," the older man continued, "that you are ready for your first mission. You'll be partners for numerous reasons. One, being that you, Cougar, are psychically and physically invisible; two, Rocky, you can become invisible if in the right environment and not even Sabertooth can pick up your scent. These two factors are ideal for invading the Xavier Institute. He paused, mostly because I interrupted him.

"That's a school," I pointed out from my place at the wall near the door. Of all the things Creed taught me, paranoia, even in a familiar, relatively safe environment, was ALWAYS a good thing.

"It also houses the infamous X-Men," Jason said with concern. "They'll cream us."

The man's face darkened momentarily but it was gone before he spoke again, "I realize your concern, but with your gifts, you two should have absolutly no problem, I would think."

"How would we get in?" My new teammate asked.

"A simple distraction. Sabertooth causes a scene which takes Wolverine and his nose out of the picture," he looked at me, "Then both of you make your way through the wooded area near the back of the mansion. By this time, Team Air will join Sabertooth.

"What are we doing there, exactly?" Jason had moved closer to the computerized 3-D hologram of the institute and the surrounding area. Magneto had all kinds of cool gadgets like that. I didn't want to know how he got them.

"Once you've reached the sublevels, you'll rely on Electris to walk you through their computer files. We're looking for information. That's all. Xavier isn't willing to share, so we must use our own means." Electris could connect to any computer in the world. Almost. Cerebro was the exception.

"She couldn't do it before. Why now?"

Once again his features darkened at my skepticism. "When she tries, she's blocked out. She knows how to remove this obstacle, but she would have to be in the same room as the main computer. Since she wouldn't possibly be able to make it through that far, we're sending you. She'll give you instructions through our normal ear piece communications. It isn't too difficult for you, is it Cougar?" his voice came out with annoyed sarcasm.

"It isn't too difficult," Sabertooth said from the door way. "Not fer her." I was his little pride and joy. Ick.

I pointedly gave him no answer and we stared off for a moment. Creed smirked at my insubordinance.

Jason was oblivious to the rising tension in the room, or he didn't care, as he continued his study of the map."What if we run into trouble?"

Magneto pulled his harsh gaze from me and softened it with a smile of confidence for him, "What trouble could you possibly run into, my boy?"

"People might detect one of us and try to stop us."

"They're expendable," the leader made a wave of his hand, as if to brush off the importance of the question.

"That's a school." My own voice surprised me. I hadn't expected my mouth to open, and I certainly hadn't expected the words to sound so outraged.

"The inhabitants of the school," he glared back, "are expendable."

"There's KIDS in there," I shot back.

"Kids are easier to kill than adults," Creed shrugged, "You should have no problem, Kitty Cat. Once you've killed them, it'll be easier ta kill the rest of those mush mouthed X-Men." I glanced back at his words, but Magneto brought me back to him.

"They stand in our way." Eric sounded like he was giving a sermon, "They're a threat to our cause."

I frowned, "If 'our cause' means killin' kids, then I don't want nothin' ta do with it." I had pushed myself away from the wall and was fully prepared to walk out.

Magneto almost looked panicked. Apparently, I was an important person in an important mission. "Of course," he held up his hand, "we don't want you to go out and Murder these children. Its highly unlikely that you'll even encounter anyone. And even so, you wouldn't have to KILL them, simply rendering them unconscious would suffice."

I studied him. He needed me. Enough for him to smile and give in to me. My gut hadn't liked him to begin with. It also didn't like this mission he was brewing. I also hadn't forgotten what Creed had let slip about eventually killing the X-Men. But what could I do? If I tried to leave, he'd stop me, or try. "No one gets killed?"

"Of course not. They are our brothers and sisters, after all, even if Xavier has diluted their minds.

Still, something wasn't kosher. When one is in a situation with a demon, one must occasionally humor it. "When do we leave?"

"Not for a week. You'll need extensive training for this mission and to become accustomed to working with a team mate and as a unit."

"Sure." I muttered and moved toward the door. Creed stood in my way. "Move," I said to him flatly. He enjoyed annoying me. Personally, I think he just wanted to get me to fight him. We'd gotten a little rough before, but he was always told not to scratch me up too badly, we had healers for 'accidents'. He did, however, frequently let me know that he could easily kill me. Good teacher, huh?

"Why?" he stared down at me.

"Because," sweetly smiling, I replied, "I getta use my claws during training and you don't."

He stepped aside, "Heh. Keep tellin' yerself that, Kitty Cat. His words troubled me but at the moment I didn't care. I was mentally and physically drained. I was suppose to keep myself visible around Magneto.It was easier said than done. The island had taken its toll on my control of my powers.

I went to my room--not extravagantly furnished, just a bed and a dresser, but no room mate was a major plus--and sat on my bed, awaiting a visitor whom I knew would arrive. Sure enough, five minutes passed and there was my expected knock. "Come on in Jason," I said with out looking up from my magazine.

"How'd you know it was me?" he sat at the edge of my bed.

"Cuz Creed's knock is harder, Magneto doesn't come to ME, and I don't act 'sociable' towards no one else." I continued to study an article on whooping crane populations. "What do ya want?"

"I want you to stop being so ungrateful towards Eric."

Sighing in response only seemed to make him mad, but I did it anyway.

"He liberated us. He protected us. He gave us a place to call home--"

"This aint my home and you know it," responding calmly, I barely glanced up at him.

"He feeds us! He trains us!--"

Now I met his angry gaze full on, "To kill. Face it, he trains us to kill."

We face off for a moment before he answers, "He didn't mean that we kill our fellow mutants--"

"Just everyone else?" I continued to interrupt him.

"Human's deserve to die if they get in our way. WE should be in charge! We're superior to them."

"Yea. Homo Superior. I've had that drilled into my head, but, funny thing, I don't see a bunch of prejudice anti-human BIGOTS out to annihilate most of the world populations as SUPERIOR to others. I see them as WEAK. ya know why?"

"Oh, Please!" He rolled his eyes, "Enlighten me!"

His sarcasm was ignored, "Because people like that aren't willing to think of others. Self-absorbed, arrogant fools."

"So," Magneto strode through my doorway WITHOUT knocking. "What should we do? Wait until we're accepted by everyone? For congress to DECIDE weather we're worth equal rights? We're far from that point, Cougar. Private and governmental agencies work around the clock as we speak on how to remove the 'mutant problem'. We've been hunted and executed like vermine. What SHOULD we do? The entire world out there hates and fears us, they're willing to kill us at the drip of a hat. What SHOULD we do!?" he roared.

Softly, I answered, "We shouldn't give them reason to."

"They don't need reason," he snorted. "They're like wild animals, ready to kill for crossing their paths.

But killing THEM is ok?" Once again, my voice was quiet, almost sad. I suppose I was depressed. I was in a room with two madmen, one of whom was a good friend of mine, and I had to get out.

"Yes." He mistook my quietness for submission--very wrong--,"It is often necessary." His gaze shifted toward Jason and then back to me. Frowning slightly, he reprimanded, "It's getting difficult to see you again. Keep visible."

So I concentrated on being seen by my nice, homicidal maniac liberator. "I have a headache. Please leave." The fact that I said please and really did look miserable sent them away.

I waited a good half hour before I decided to leave. Only grabbing a second pair of clothes, I crawled out of my window and into the snowy path. It was near dusk, but no problem for my cool eyes. I'd made it for perhaps two hours before I heard Creed yelling for me. And he was close.

He hadn't made a noise coming up behind me, but he actually hadn't seen me yet. So charging after my scent, maybe one hundred yards away was a killer mutant with lethal claws and murder in his eyes. They the eyes spotted me. Yea, great, huh? I ran towards a snow bank, hoping it would have a thick enough crust for me to walk on but thin enough for the crazy guy to fall through. My heart sank when I remembered that this was a fresh powdery snow, but I couldn't stop now. My mutant genes kicked in and surprised me, however. The new gift? Flying? No. That would be too cool and useful where ever. I did learn that I could walk on the snow, kind of elfish and out of JRR Tolkine books. But it certainly gave me a lengthy advantage over Creed.

So I ran. I kept running until I found a town. THEN I stole a truck and drove south, turns out I was in Northern British Columbia. When my stolen truck was out of gas, I just kept walking down the road, waiting for the next town with another vehicle to swipe. Yea, you're right, it was a stupid plan. I think that was when I started to get my cold which I, stupidly, ignored. I know it was stupid. Does my low self esteem seep through in this paragraph? Well, deal with it.

My next vehicle was harder to acquire. Sure, it was unlocked, but it also didn't have keys. But it just so happened that one of my online friends told me (in precise detail) how to hotwire a car. Thanx Zekk.

I drove a few more days, sleeping only when my eyelids refused to stay up. My cold was much worse and I know that I had a pretty high temp. I got dizzy easily and my vision darkened around the edges after standing up or coughing. All that kept me going was the thought of Sabertooth on my heels.

Now, I know what you're thinking. 'What about the coat?' right? I'm getting to that part.

So my third vehicle had just conked out and I'd been walking maybe half an hour.

"How's my little Kitty Cat?" a familiar voice taunted from above me.

I slowly looked up, like in an old cheesy horror movie, and sitting in a branch overhanging the road was Creed.

"Actually, I've got a nasty cold. It'd prolly be best if ya just stayed up there and away from my germs, yea?"

He jumped down with a chuckle, "Right, how considerate."

I stepped back, but he wasn't trying to jump ON me, just near enough to scare me, which was working. No, I'm not gonna say that he didn't scare me. Only a fool would. I might be foolish, but I'm not a fool.

"I've got orders to give you a chance ta come back." 'Thrilled' wouldn't be a word that I'd use to describe his tone, disapointed, maybe.

"Really? He'd let me come back and just forget..this?" hopefully my voice was sincere.

"I'd rather just kill ya and get it over with." He took a step.

I stepped back, "No, really, he was right...The people out here...they're savage, ya know?"

He took another step and I retreated some more, "What's the matter, Kitty Cat? Scared?"

"Yes."

"That's the first truth you've told me all day," he smiled menacingly.

Bolting like a rabbit, I went for the woods on either side of the road. Snow was good for me.

I got a leadway and stopped, remembering an ending scene off of the Shining, I walked backwards over my tracks to a tree and climbed up it, holding as still as I could.

My trick only fooled him for a moment and he was quickly underneath me. I pounced down on him. Once set of claws punctured his eyeballs and raked through down his nose, making him, hopefully, blind for a moment and unable to smell anything but his own blood for longer. My other set of claws dug into his throat and ripped out gobs of bloody mass. His scream was cut short when I ripped out his windpipe. He threw me off of him but I had a tight hold on his coat and kept it. That's when another idea struck me. I pulled on the coat and ran off on top of the snow. My idea? Well, no one is really aware of their own scent, right? They just get too use to it. So, I thought, Creed couldn't track me too well if I smelled like him, because he didn't know his own scent, right? Right. And my Irish blood gave me just this bit of luck--it worked. I didn't see him for a long while after that.

I was still in trouble, though. I was near exhausted due to my fever and using my limited energy and now I was lost in a Canadian forest. I grew up in North Dakota, we don't have forests out there. We have plains and fields and if you get lost out there? Look for a line of trees and they indicate a water supply that you can follow until you find SOMEONE.

What do I do? I already told ya I wasn't a fool. And I'm far from being some city kid. Read the next chapter, wouldja? 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Meet My New Team 

Review Replies:  
Soul Mama: I couldn't tell that english wasn't your native language (what is it), anyway, you write it pretty well. Thanks for the review.

TruestTears: Thanks for pointing that out. Yea, she kind of contradicted herself, but, as you'll see in the ending chapters, she becomes very depressed with the whole situations that is her life. (when I wrote it, I was away at college for the first time and depressed myself).

Wolfy-poo: yea, this chapter's kinda long too, but I did it in installments.

Quote: Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. --Helen Keller

Present Time: Wolverine's Group

Why am I in Wolverine's group if he hates me? Cuz Jean got annoyed at never knowing where I was. I'm the fifth member of his team. The others?

Ana (aka: Blast): She can shoot bluish energy blasts, like Cyclop's, only through her hands.

Joseph (no code name yet): He has control of plants, making them grow unnaturally and quickly to his advantage.

Amber (aka: Crayola--she's got a sense of humor): She's a somewhat powerful telekinetic with pink skin and blue hair (get the crayola crayon joke yet)

Conner (aka: Medic): He can fly and heal other's injuries.

Me (aka: Cougar, cuz I still have'nt given them my real name and they accepted it): Claws, teeth, eyes, walk on snow and easily ignored...I mean...unnoticed. ;D

Anyway, I was in luck (gasp!), I had showed up right when the new teams wre being organized, so I wasnt the only newbie, Yay.

The rest of the team and I are to meet Wolverine in one of the rooms in the lower levels. I have to glance at the paper once more to try to remember the name. Danger Room. How the heck can I forget something like that? Oh Well. I've been here three days, trying to get orientated, which is rather difficult in a mansion. By now, I've given up on the elevators and go straight for the stairs. The elevator door open by motion detectors. They won't open for me though and it takes too long waiting for someone else to come and activate it. I exit out the stairway and look down the hall. Everything is very...shiny.

A boy exists the elevator on my right. He's alone but walks with a confidence that I wouldn't even be able to dream up. He doesn't see me as he passes, and I decide that confidence isn't everything; I could've been a bad guy and he'd have been dead right there. 'I'll just follow him,' I think and walk silently behind him. Instincts pay off as we turn a corner and above a large -electronic- door is a sign indicating the Danger Room. The extravogantly large door swooshes open for him while I'm contemplating what the point of such a large door could possibley be. It starts to swoosh shut and I have to dart in sideways, nearly being crushed.

"Jeez," Wolverine says fromt he floor a little ways in, "Tryin' ta cut yerself in half?"

Three kids sitting in a circle with him turn towards the door and, after a moment of realizing that they weren't looking at him, my leader turns toward me too. I was trying to be noticed lately but my stomach flip flopps when all their eyes lock on me and I probably start to get fuzzy.

"The motion detectors on the doors don't pick me up," I manage to say in a clear, but still quiet, voice.

"I'll get ya a code ta punch in then. I'd never hear the end of it is I lost one of my students to a door." Was that humor? "Sit down, both of ya," he orders next, being obeyed quickly by my leader and I. "This is yer team," he starts, "And I'm yer team leader. I'm Mr. Logan, but when we train, it's Wolverine. Anyone know what a wolverine is?"

Of course I know, but I'm not about to put myself as the center of attention again. No one else moves either.

"It's a member of the weasle family." Answering his own question, he continues, "It's short and peaceful unless provoked, then its one of the meanest, most persistant things out there. Like me. Don't provoke me and we'll get along fine. Now, yer gonna meet yer team. You'll be learning with them, ltraining with them and, eventually, the Xavier Institute hopes that you'll be fighting crime with them. We'll go around the circle. State your name, yer code name, where yer from, age, and powers, then anything else as long as it's under five minutes. Don't need yer life story yet, that's yers ta give on yer own time." Another joke?

The person on her right starts. She has magenta skin, which contrasts with her bright blue hair that goes a little past her shoulders. "I'm Amber Stien. And, uhm, I'm from New York City. My powers are, well, what I look like and, uhm, I guess I'm a powerful telekinetic. My code name's Craoyla cuz..well...I look like a crayon box," She indicates her hair, skin and green eyes. "Oh, and I'm sixteen."

The next person is the one that I had followed in. He's tall and slim and has a runners build, wirey muscles and all. His hair's a medium, mousy brown and upon a closer look I realize that it has a brushing of moss green. "Hey, I'm Joseph Niles from Calgary, Alberta. I'm 17 and my powers are that I can manipulate organic plant matter. My hair is also turning into moss, but I think that that's stopped now." He nods, indicating that he's finished.

Wolverine asks him, "What's yer code name?"

"Uhhh..." Sheepishly, Joseph admits, "I don't got one."

"Yer suppose ta have all yer code names by this time. You'll be usin' them while training so ya get used ta them."

"I can't think of anything."

Our leader looked slightly annoyed, then decided, "Well, ask yer team fer help."

Joseph looked around the circle, "Any ideas guys?"

"What about Moss?" Amber suggests.

The other boy in the group replies, "Wasn't he a foot ball player?"

"Green Thumb?" A Hispanic girl speaks up.

"Kinda sissy," Joseph turns it down nicely.

Wolverine interrupts, "How about ya get one by tomorrow."

He nodded, "Ok."

After a moment the other girl started. She looked relatively normal. She was Hispanic with long black hair and had a Mexican accent when she started, "I'm Ana Luna from Acapulco, Mexico and I'm fifteen and, ah...my powers are that I can shoot energy blasts from my hands, but not that well yet. So My code name's Blast."

Gazes shift to my direction and blink.

"Try bein' visible," Wolverine speaks up, but not really meanly.

"Oh..yea..." I concentrate and eyes lock on me. I have to stop myself from blending in again. "I'm Cougar, from North Dakota and seventeen. I look like this," I hold up my cloaws to bee seen, "can go unseen and walk on snow." There. I answered in minimum words but my hearts still speedy and my hands are shaking.

The last person speaks up. He had black short cropped hair and green eyes. He was of medium build with a bit more muscles thatn Joseph. "Hey, my name's Connor O'Rielly and I'm from San Franscisco, California. I'm seventeen and my powers are flying and I can heal others, so my code name's Medic." He looked at Wolverine when he was done.

"All right. Now we're spose ta talk," consulting a piece of paper, he finished, "about yer powers and why ya came ta Xavier's."

Joseph makes a motion with his hand and, after a nod from our Leader, starts. "Well, I was walking home from school one day and this whole gang of creeps were beating on this one dude. So I tried to stop them and they forgot about the one guy and all turned on me. I took a pretty bad beating until one of the guys threw me into a tree, cause I was in a park at the time. They all surrounded me and one of them drew his fist back but all of a sudden one of the tree's branches came slaming down on him and pretty soon all the branches were swinging and hitting them and as soon as they high-tailed it, the tree went back to normal. So that's how I found out that I had them. I was practicing them a couple weeks later and this lady caught it on a video camera and sold it to the news station. A day later, Ms. Monroe came and invited me to come to Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters."

"What'd your partents think about you being a mutant?" Ana asks

His face darkens slightly, "Lets just say that my bags were packed before Ms. Monroe came."

Amber makes a disgusted noise, "Really. They look at us like we're the antichrists even tho we technically got our genes from them."

"My parents," interjects Conner, "were surprisingly acceptable; though that was probably only because I healed my little brother when he fell off the trampoline and cracked his head open."

"You were lucky then," Ana replies. "My parents put all kind of guilt on me for being a mutant. Like I went some place just to become one to spite them. They thought that since I was a normal kid, I should have been a normal teen."

Laughing bitterly, Amber adds, "Tell me about it. I turn fifteen and all my skin falls off being replaced with hot pink," she holds up her arm for demonstration, "and all my hair turns blue and all of a sudden I go from the perfect child to pink pond scum."

"Continue," Wolverine prompts, "How'd ya find Xavier's?"

"Well," She pauses with uncertainty, "I was living on the streets when some anti-mutant people corner me and Spiderman came and, uhm, webbed them and he gave me this address to come to."

"Cool," comments Joseph.

"You really met Spiderman?" Ana asks her.

"Yea, he didn't say much though. Just some cracks tot he bad guys and he got a look of me and gave me a card for Professor Xavier's."

There's a moment of silence until Wolverine says "Next."

"Ah.." Ana thinks outloud, "I was at school and got into a fight with another girl and accidentaly blasted her into a wall. I got expelled from school. My parents were ashamed of me so they found this school and shipped me off as soon as they could."

"You're from Mexico, right?" Connor questions and continues after Ana nods, "What's the population's general view of mutants down there, or is it kinda like the U.S. and Canada?"

"It's pretty much the same. Some people hate us, some tolerate us, not many like us." The reply was sad.

No one speaks for a couple seconds so Connor starts, "Well, like I said before, my little brother was on the trampoline and felloff and while my dad went into hysterics, I healed him. At first, no one was sure weather it was me or him that was the mutant. But then I started flying. Mom got a call from Mr. Summers and she discussed it with dad and me, but we didn't make a real decision until dad saw some local anti-mutant riots on the news and him and mom decided it'd be safer for the whole family if I went here."

"How'd your little brother take you being a mutant?" Joseph asks.

"Well, my little brother thinks I'm a superhero. He's only seven though. My little sister thinks I'm embarasing and says taht I should just hide it. She's thirteen and I think she's worried about being a mutant herself."

Amber chuckles, "Your brother sounds like my little sister. Turning pink was one of the coolest thinks I ever did. But she was only six when my 'rents kicked me out so she couldn't understand the whole 'mutant-thing'."

"My older brother was supportive, but my older sister," Ana pauses in thought, "She tried not to know me."

"I didn't get the support of anyone. Guess I got screwed being an only child," Joseph shrugs with a slight smile.

The rooms quiet again and my stomach tightens. I know I have to talk, but I hate being the center of attention. Really hate it.

"Cougar." Only Wolverine sees me at first. Others follow his gaze. "Yer up."

I take a clensing breath without realizing it. "My eyes started ta change. People stopped noticing me to the point of realization that it was really abnormal. My teeth fell out and new ones grew in. Cuz of my ability ta be 'unseen', alotta people from different organizations came wanting to exploit my powers. After some governmetn people and the Russian mob, I decided ta leave. I came here with a few...interruptions on my trip."

"Interruptions?" Wolverine challenges.

"Yea," I reply with a bit of annoyance.

"Care ta elaborate?"

"Nope," I lock gazes with him.

My new team mates seem to pick up on the tension and looks are exchanged. "So..." Connor tries to change the subject, "the MOB visited you? Kinda scary, huh?"

I answer but continue my staring contest, "Kinda."

"I heard," Amber says a little too loudly, " that you've got psychic immunity. That not even the professor can detect you."

"Right." I break eye contact to answer her. I could never with a stare down with Creed either. Dangerous eyes.

After no more questions, Wolverine looks at a clock on the wall and announces, "You've got an hour of free time, then lunch. I'll see ya this time tomorrow. Yer excused." He stands and us students follow suit. "Cougar," I pause at his voice, "see me after lunch in my office for that clearance code."

It takes me a minute to realize that he's talking about the big door before I reply with a short, "K." Everyone else had scurried out quickly so I'm left waiting for him to open the door for me. I'm getting sick of being helpless.

"After you," he motions toward the now opened door with mock-politeness.

I look up at him--yea, that's how short I am--and study his face with apprehension.

"What?" he scowls at me.

"I don't trust you at my back." Really, I've always been this paranoid...but Creed made it necessary.

He snorts, "Get used ta it, kid. I'm gonna be watchin' ya like a hawk."

Sarcasm comes as my first defense to such a comment, "Such hospitality this place has."

"Walk." He commands. I fall in next to him after he gets past the door and he continues, "Chuck might believe yer story, but I don't trust ya."

"Couldn't tell," I reply coldly. We reach the elevators but I veer off to the door marked STAIRS.

"Ya need a code for these too?" He asks a real question.

"Sure," I open the door, no automatics here.

"Ya want this?" he indicates the elevator, whose door just opened.

"No." I reply rudely. He shrugs and gets in while I trudge up the stairs, growling under my breath.

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The school really isn't too big. You'd think with the number of mutants out there it'd be huge, but there's only around one hundred, about as many as my old school. The food here is SO much better. Not like home cooking, but I really haven't had that in such a long time. I'm not a huge lunch person, so I only grab a sandwich and a carton of milk. Now the question: Where to sit?. I'm one of the first kids here, since I was bored during the hour of freetime. I take the end of a table in the back and open my milk.

"Hi," the magenta skinned girl from my team sets her plate across from me. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Go ahead," I nod back, searching my brain for her name..Amber. I'm horrible with names, but it got better after Magneto's drills.

"So what do you think of the school so far?" she asks while removing the tomatoes from her salad.

Around a mouthful, I respond, "'s big."

"Alotta mansions are," Joseph comes and places his plate next to me.

I shrug and scooch over a little. I'm one of those people who doesn't like anyone to get too close to my comfort zone.

"I don't bite," he laughs and I get the feeling that before he became a 'dirty mutie', that he was real popular with the girls.

"Never know, I might." My words come out dryly and both of them laugh.

"Hey guys," Connor pulls up a chiar and Ana follows him. I'd noticed that they came in together.

The group talks awhile about the school, then the teachers, and eventually get to Wolverine. "So," Connor directs in my direction, "What's with you're stare off with him earlier?"

Everyone looks at me expectantly and I study them while I take a drink of milk. "He doesn't like me," I answer plainly.

"Well, duh," Amber laughs again. For a mutant persecuted for her looks, she certainly has a bubbly disposition. "WHY doesn't he like you?"

Sighing, I decide to give a vague answer, "He...doesn't trust me."

"Why not?" Ana joined the interrogation. Ok, it wasn't REALLY an interrogation, just felt that way.

Draining my milk, I stand and grab my plate, "cuz I was sent her by Magneto." As I walk away, I here someone choke on thier drink and I can't help but let a smile tug at the corners of my lips. I love it when I have that effect on people.

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It was a good thing that I left lunch early. It takes me awhile to find Wolverine's office. I passed it once, not used tot he name Logan. Creed always referred to him as just Wolverine.

I hear voices inside so,deciding not to intrude, I sit on the floor just outside the door. A good five minutes pass before an angry looking teen barges out. She looks Asian at first, but her eyes are such a bright blue that I have to wonder. She left the door open, so, after standing, I knock hesitantly on the frame.

"What?" Wolverine snarls, fixing his nose, first, and then his eyes on me.

My first reaction: Back away...slowly.

I almost do it too, but then my temper comes tot he rescue, "Hey, don't get mad at ME. Ya TOLD me ta come."

He gave me an annoyed look and a gruff, "Sit down."

After seeing me sit like a good obediant puppy, he turns to his computer and types for a moment.THe silence is thick, but I have no intention of breaking it. There was a whirl of the printer and he hands me a piece of paper with two number codes. "The first is for the elevators. You'll be able to use it all the time unless lock down or a power outage. The second is for the danger room. It'll only accept your code during school hours for classes. Any other time, you'll need a teacher ta let ya in, which won't be necessary. It won't be effective during lockdown either," he explained formally. "It also won't let you in if there's another session or someone else is training, but the doors don't open for anyone then, so don't worry."

I nod back, "K."

"Any questions?"

"Yea," I dare to ask, "off the subject, but do the students have internet access?" He gave another annoyed look so I defend myself, "Hey, I DID have a social life before I became a mutant."

"Rules: Don't let anyone know what this place is, under levels. It's just a boarding school, got it?"

"Yep."

"You can use the computers in the study lounge," he took the paper out of my hands and wrote on it. "User name and password," then he handed it back.

After glancing at it (Cougar; Password: feral) I nodded again, "K."

"Ya got some free time ta kill, go regain yer social life," he scoffed at me.

If I had a tail, it would be flicking with annoyance...I shouldn't jinx myself...

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So, here's a challenge for my reviewing fans: Any ideas about what Josephs code name should be? I'm stumpped.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Review Replies:  
Star Date: yea, college can kinda suck. Im not trying to be whiney or anything, im just saying that when I re-read over what I had written a couple months ago when I decided to post this, the character was way more depressed towards the end. Ah well, that's life.

Amazon Panther: I agree, Joseph needs a stronger name

Soul-Mama: Nature sounded too...nice...for Joseph, and when I wrote his character, he just didnt seem like a nice kinda person. As for your country, I havent the faintest idea. Another hint maybe?

ravestar: Thanks for the review. Herbal, tho, reminded me of some ones old Uncle Herb who puttered around mowing his lawn all day, lol.

Wolf: Your review didn't post. doesnt like you. It spits your reviews out into the cyber garbage can of the internet! HAHA! shrugs

_And the winner of the naming contest is_...SnapDragon, submitted by Amazon Pather. Special thanks to my final judge Wolf

Thanks Everyone! This is a short chapter, so I'm going to try to get two done in a time period of 4 days. Here we go!

Quote:Sing along with the elevator music. --Dove chocolate candy wrapper

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Time Warp: Back to the past. With me? Good.

You all remember that I'm feverishly lost in the Canadian wilderness being hunted by the murderous Sabertooth? Good memory.

So I had been running, then walking, and finally stumbling for years. Well, it seemed like years. It was probably a couple days though.

I fell quite suddenly, my knees refusing to lift my feet, which really must happen for one to walk. I couldn't feel it when my numb hands slammed into the snow and sank in to my chaffed wrists. Really, I couldn't feel much of anything by that time. Motionless, I continued to stare dumbly at the snow around my chapped red and white hands.

"Don't wanna die," my voice surprised me, though it came out as only a wimper. "I don't wanna die," I said as if I'd just had an epiphany. Struggling to my feet, I resumed my tiresom journey, doing my best to get back up after falling. My little phrase passed through my frozen bleeding lips many times. Then, one time while falling, I noticed a small light on my way down. After resuming a verticle stature and staring at the blinking orangeness for a few moments, I decided that it was a fire. Don't think of me as too stupid, but I did have to actually wait for real thoughts to come. I mean, there were a bunch of worthless thoughts that bumped around in my mind, like , "Whatever happened to that dalmation toy I had when I was little?" and "Whats so important about groundhogs that they can decide by their shadows on how long a certain season will last?" Then I had a REALLY Good thought. "I should go to the fire." Yea, be proud.

For awhile, my entire world became my journey towards that flame. After much struggle, I finally closed in. I wasn't that stupid tho, I advanced quietly and seated myself across from the wonderfully warm flames undetected. A Native American man came out of a wooden shelter and sat across from me not noticing my prescence. Kind of cliche, don't you think? I did too, but beggars cant be choosers. He put a pot of water over the fire to boil.

Before, I had been solely occupied with getting away from Creed. Now I was realizing how crappy I felt (technical medicinal terms, of course). I started to doze sitting up when I was gently awakened by the man touching my shoulder and peering into my face with deep black eyes.

"Drink some of this," he urged, pressing a cup of fragrant liquid into my hand.

I stared back at him for a moment, "What is it?"

"Medicine," he replied, still gentle, "It will help bring your fever down."

I continued to stare dumbly for awhile, "You can see me." My statement was one of those questions/not-question forms where I was only asking for confirmation. My eyes looked over his wrinkled face. The creases in his dark skin started to slither like snakes. I really did need to bring my fever down...

"Not at first. But I could sense you. Drink this all, and there is a bed in the lodge. You need sleep as well."

Warnings and Caution signs flashed through my head. I really didn't get any bad vibes off of him, but it was impossible to trust anyone these days. Still, I couldn't afford to pass up the opportunity if he was telling the truth. I downed the foul tasting substance and did as I was told (for once).

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To my delight, I woke up. Hey, its better than the alternative, right? Seemingly in one piece, I made my way out of the warm darkness of the wooden lodge and into the sun. I hissed as the light assalted my poor eyes. The man was sitting next to the fire as before, I noted after regaining my vision.

"There is some food here. I wasn't expecting company, but its good to see that you're doing better. You slept for two days." I plopped down across from him and studied his vaguely familiar face as he continued, "I contacted some friends of mine and they'll be here shortly to give you a lift to where ever you are going." He handed me a small pan filled with a stew of some kind. I took it eagerly, not remembering my last meal.

"Yer Shaman, from Alpha Flight, aint ya?" I asked between mouthfuls, giving him my full trust after finally remembering his file from Magneto's computer.

"Yes," he answered, seemingly uneasily. I guess he wasn't use to being identified.

After I finished my food, we shared a moment of just staring into the fire until a jet was heard. I stood up, "Thanks for the food, and, you know...saving my life and all..." I mumbled, as akward as could be.

"Safe Journeys..." he seemed about to say womething else, but I was introduced to Alpha Flight team instead.

Good group. They dropped me off in New York City. I didn't give them specific instructions, just asked them to leave me at the Big Apple,which they did, leaving abruptly because apparently something big and bad was happening elsewhere. No problem for me anyway. So I wandered the city for awhile, got a good shower, stole some food and new clothes. Actually, I was wasting time. After fighting so long to get there, I was starting to chicken out. Eventually, though, I screwed up my courage and bravely marched into the school. That was my origional plan. But, while wasting time, I'd had to be unseen and the thought of people actually noticing me all the time was very scary. So I more like creeped into the school. Then I got caught.

And now we're up to speed. YAY! No more time warps. Be Happy.

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Short, I know, but now we're only in the present. As alway, Reviews please.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Review Replies:**  
Wolf: I know you'll be my bestest friend. Thats what I'm paying you for:P Hey, this is the chapter that stars YOU.

SoulMama: Oh, I got it...Finland. Right? What do you guys call it if it doesn't start with an F?

**Quote:** Watch for opportunities to let the world know where you stand. --D.L. Moody

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Computers. Nice Computers. I hadn't been on one since before Blackstone. I had missed them. Computers, not Blackstone. I go immediately to my MSN and try to estimate what time it would be back home. Not too many people would be on, but I'd try to contact more some other time. I'm a little surprised to see Wolf on the screen...

Cougar: Heyla!  
Wolf: Who is this?! Get Off!  
Cougar: Nice to see you too, Wolfy-poo.  
Wolf: GET OFF!  
Cougar: What's wrong with YOU?

AbsoluteHatred has been added to the Conversation

Wolf: See! Hack them, Kill them, Make their puter blow UP!  
Cougar: What!? Don't do that, its not mine!  
AbsoluteHatred: I told you that I don't hack people anymore...I don't know, maybe I'll make an exception.  
Wolf: Shut up, imposter.  
Cougar: All right, What's going on! I'm NOT an imposter. I'm ME.  
Wolf: Yea? Prove it.  
Cougar: You gotta be kidding me...OK. At your farm, you have 13 chickens, 4 geese, 1 peacock, 1 turkey, 2 horses, 2 goats, an iguana-Harriet, a ferret, 2 dogs and 3 cats...is that enough?  
Wolf: Continue.  
Cougar: uhmmm...our favorite movie when we were little was Jungle2Jungle, and then Titanic. Oh, Harriet once got into a fight with the ferret and he bit her tail and she needed to get a little bit amputated and the first time we brought her to the vet, she crapped in the back of your mom's car and it stank really bad. This better be enough now.

I wait for a very long time before I get a response.

AbsoluteHatred: Wolf? You still there? Does she check out?  
Wolf: It's really you?  
Cougar: Yea.  
AbsoluteHatred: ...well...welcome back, Cougar.  
Cougar: What's going on?

File 'Cougar' sent by AbsoluteHatred AbsoluteHatred: You died.  
Transfer of file 'Cougar' complete.Open file.

My stomach flip flopps but I clicked the blue Open. Its my obituary and I read over the crudely written newspaper clipping.

Calla Anne Kowatch (Mutant of Fairview)  
died on an unknown date this month in an uncertain city of New York state. Calla was an identified mutant of Fairview. The Mutant Patrol had tried to stop and ask her for her identification when she resisted, causing serious injury to one officer and placing another into the ICU. The authorities pursued her and were forced to open fire when she turned and attacked them. She was shot twice in the chest and was pronounced dead on the scene. She is survived by her parents, Marlena and Kevin Kowatch, her younger sister, Laura Kowatch, and her older brother, Roman Kowatch.

I stare at the screen numbly for a few seconds before I notice that the MSN window is blinking at me.

Wolf: How dare you! Do you know what you put me through! What you put your family through!  
AbsoluteHatred: Calm down, lets here her side of the story first, OK? Spill it kid.  
Wolf: Cougar? Get back here or I'll kill you!  
Cougar: I'm here...just kinda...shocked.  
AbsoluteHatred: Understandable. I take it you didn't know that you were dead?  
Cougar: No...I was trying to get to New York. Wolf, you know where I was heading. I got to the border and some rent-a-cops jumped me. I did attack, but it was in self defense. Next time I wake up, I'm at some mutant concentration camp. Me and the owner have a dispute and he shipped me to his Exile Island for 3 months. Then Magneto came and picked us all up and I spent a couple of months there before running away. I just now got here, to Xaviers School for Gifted Youngsters.  
AbsoluteHatred: Gifted. You mean mutants.  
Wolf: I thought Magneto was evil.  
Cougar: I'm not suppose to say, AH. and Yea, Magneto's evil. Thats why I ran away. Oh, and I got claws. Its hard to type like this. And I can walk on snow.  
AbsoluteHatred: I see.uhm..I'm going to let you two catch up, Wolf, fill me in later, would you? Bye Cougs.  
He left the convo.  
Cougar: You two seem to be getting along well.  
Wolf: He kinda helped me thru..well, your death.  
Cougar: Sorry about that. If I'd have known, I'd have...well, I guess I couldn't have. No elecricity on the island and Magneto said 'no' to outside contacts.  
Wolf: You're not evil now are you?  
Cougar: No. I ran away because evil people are bad  
Wolf: Have you talked to your mom yet?  
Cougar: No...I just got here a few days ago...I'm lucky I got computer privelages, but I'll ask about phones. Can you give her the news?  
Wolf:Yea. She took it pretty hard, you know. Your whole family did. Laura's now part of this Humans for Mutant Rights thing and recruiting alotta people. She's pretty persuasive, making me think she might be a telepath and not know it.  
Cougar: that's not good...this is a bad time for mutants.  
Wolf: Yea, but I'm gonna go...call your mom..maybe I'll just go over there. Im glad youre back...

She leaves the conversation.

I sign off and then print out the obituary. Searching online, I find alot more articles about how the "Feral Mutant" attacked law enforcement men and print them out too. Next, I search for Blackstone and print out a few articles on his so called 'troubled mutant sanctuary'.

Gathering up my papers, I march down the hall with my destinations being Xavier's office. Im stopped halfway there by a hard hand gripping my arm.

"First day of school and already skipping classes?" Wolverine turned me around to face him, "What're you up to?"

Yanking away from him, I reply icily, "Having a crisis of existance, so, if you'd excuse me, I gotta talk to the Professor." I turn and continue on my way. He follows me of course, but I can't get everything my way. At least he shut up. I knock on the large wooden door. It's oak. A really pretty wood.

"Come in," comes muffled through the door, but I could pick up on confusion. Wolverine stays outside the door, so I shut it on him. If he's going to evesdrop, he can do it through a door.

"Ah, Cougar," the Professor smiles, "How is your first day going? Not trouble I hope?"

Yea, right. Like he doesn't know exactly whats going on in this school every second of the day. He'd know about trouble before the students. I walk up to his desk and slap the obituary down. "I Died!" Outrage comes out a little thicker than I intend it to.

"Excuse me?" He picks up the page and quickly reads it over. "This is your real name?"

"Yes!" I say still outraged, then frown and shake my head in three quick jerks, "Irrelevent. It says I died." I drop the articles of the chase down next. He looks through them and then back at me. "None of that happened! Well, I did fight the first two guys, but they started it. Police didn't chase me! The first guys clubbed me. Dirty fighters, my hands were cuffed!"

"I have to admit I'm still slightly confused...why would the papers print such elaborate faulty information--"

"Faulty my eye!" I slam down the information concerning Blackstone, "They're covering up for him."

"Richard Blackstone...yes, I've heard of him. He supposedly runs a mutant community in an unknown tropical island."

"Bull. He runs a slave camp." I correct hotly.

"For mutants." Xavier fills in bluntly.

I sit down, mentally drained, "Yea, for mutants. Magneto's greatest fear, huh?" Xavier gives me a sharp look and I correct myself, "Right, sorry. I forgot. Not 'spose to mention Bucket Head."

No reply to that, instead he asks, "Do you know where this island is?"

Shaking my head, I answer, "Nope. Wasn't awake on the way there, or to Exile island. But I was awake going from there to 'Don't-talk-about-him's hideout...didn't have a window seat though. But Blackstone said it was a Hawiaan Island, I think."

"Exile island?"

"Long story. Me and Blackstone didn't see eye to eye so he dropped me off int he country, hoping I'd find a nice farm home or get eaten by the coyotes." I recieve an odd look. "But," I brighten, "I know someone who does..." my face drops again, "But he's evil right now, so nevermind." I sigh loudly and massage my temple, being noticed was taking its toll in the form of a headache. "So" I say and drop my hand, staring at Xavier, "I want this guy to pay."

I recieve a suspicious look, "What do you propose, Ms. Kowatch?"

I hadn't heard my name in a long time and it almost makes me laugh. I'm not insane. I reply, "I don't mean ta kill him or anything, but put him outta business, maybe? This guy put my family through Hell, apparently, by killing me off. I would really enjoy returning the favor, but I aint too great at plotting revenge, ya know?"

The man leans back slightly and studies me for a moment, "You had no need for revenge before this. Correct me if I've gotten the wrong impression, but he kidnapped you and enslaved you, later sending you to a deserted island?"

It wasn't deserted. It had other exiles...but they liked tokill people that weren't powerful. They just didn't find me, or I'd be dead. Anyway, I kinda liked it. Survivor kinda experience...except the bored-outta-my-mind part." I shrug.

"So why now?" He presses.

I felt myself scowl, "I could care less what he did ta me. He has his views on mutants and I have mine...but he said that I was dead. My mom's got a weak heart. She didn't need to read about her daughters alleged mauling of police officials ending in a bloody, violent death-by-firing-squad!" Is he really this thick?

"Agreed." He continues to stare at me and I wonder if he's going through my mind.

"What?" I finally snap. Its amazing, sometimes my stubborness can give me patience to rival a monk but then theres moments like this.

"You would like me to shut his operation down?"

"Duh." I wince at my own rudeness, knowing that it won't help. "Sorry," I apologize weakly.

"I'll see what I can do. But I've been searching for his community for awhile now. He seems to be shielded."

I shrug. "He had some kinda shield up so that active powers wouldn't work on the island. I don't know about any kinda psychic shielding though."

"Thank you, Cougar." He nodds at me. Obviously I've been dismissed.

I get up and leave, closing the door silently behind me. When I get tot he hall, Wolverine is gone. "Good," I mutter. After consulting my scheduel, I realize that I've missed two classes and have five minutes till my next one. Yippy-Skippy, I'm going to math. Shoot me. Please.

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K, i dont know if this is long enough, but it wouldnt get posted this week if i made it any longer.I'll start on the next one next weekend. Thanks


	8. Chapter 8

Review Replies:

Stardate: Thank you, and I'm considering more Wolf. Or rather, she's pestering me to put more of her in...lol.

Wolf:P

SoulMama: Yay me, Im smart. No questions yet, Im just trying to get this chapter out.

phantomix: woot, a new fan! Thanks, and if you get your story up, I'll check it out (may not review, i'm horrible at it...)

Quote: There's too much blood in my caffiene system. --Anon.

Chapter 8

I punch the code in tot he number panel next tot he Big Door, happy that it opens on my first attempt. Happy feelings die, however, when I enter the room to find that the only other person here is Wolverine.

"Nice that yer on time."

"Hey," I snap at him, "I don't give ya grief about the down sides of yer powers, so don't give me any bout mine."

His face darkens for a moment but that passes by the time he responds, "Fair 'nuff. And check yer attitude."

I growl under my breath, sure that he heard it. I'm in an irritable mood and he isn't improving it. It wasn't that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, just that I get Insomnia occasionally, added to my roommate--can't remember her name, it started with a D...or maybe an S...--anyway, she was a restless sleeper and if I even started to doze I was jerked awake by her tossing and turning.

The door swooshed open again and Conner and Ana walk in, followed closely by Amber. Joseph arrives before the door has a chance to close. "Come and sit down," we're instructed. "Today, yer gonna see how well ya work as a team." He punches a couple numbers on what looks like a TV remote control and the area around us shimmers. I tanse, ready to jump to my feet and then we're in a forest. Great. Stupid trees. "Built a fire, get some grub," he motions toward a small stream behind him, "make a shelter. Use powers if they work ta yer advantage. Be careful. All 'o this?" he gestures with a wave of his hand, "is real enough."

While I'm processing this new form of training, Wolverine just ups and leaves. "Ya got one hour," We all here coming from everywhere and no where at once.

"All right..." Joseph seems to take the lead, "who knows how to catcha fish?" Silence.

"Hey," Amber smiles and searches the circle, passing me once until her eyes finally lock on me, "Cougar's got claws and stuff," She beams t me and my stomach drops, "Can't you catch a fish?"

I sigh loudly. Lets all pick on the cat freak. "I can try, but the only fishin' I've ever done was with a pole." I shake my head but by then Joseph's already nodded Alright, so much for my say.

"Ok. who can build a fire?" No one raises a hand. I try to speak up, but no one's listening, as usual. "Well, I can built a shelter, all we'll need is the fire."

Amber interrupts his little leader role, "I can lend you a hand with that, or well, a mind I guess."

"Then Ana and I can work on the fire-making, " Conner offers.

The group splits up quickly and I sigh. I don't wanna catch fish. I have a problem with killing bugs. Bad Karma. So I peer into the water. Don't know what I'm expecting, a salmon run or something? The occasional fish I'd caught on the island were in small pools left from the tides. I wade upstream and look for some shallow area. I don't see any fish. "Yea, screw this," I say after about fifteen minutes of getting my pants wet. I head back down stream and notice a small wild rose bush. I study it for a moment before remembering that the rose hips are edible. They taste horrible, but they're supposedly high in nutritional value. So I gather two handfuls, getting poked alot. I search the ground and see some dandilions. Their leaves are edible too. I search some more and come across a patch of a weed that grew readily in our gardents back home. I know that its also safe to eat, a little chewy, but almost flavored like kale. So I gather leaves and find some nuts and find some alfalfa to strip. I carry my salade back to our little camp site in my sweatshirt, getting there in time to hear Joseph complain.

"..and we made the shelter. It can't be that hard to start some stupid fire. Hit some rocks together."

Conner is standing and shaking his head, "Yea, but the shelter was easy, you could use your powers. N o one here has fire powers." He doesn't sound mad. I would be.

"Rocks prolly won't work less you got flint and steel." I didn't expect myself to talk, but I guess I just did.

I recieve a slightly annoyed look from Joseph, but instead he comments, "Where's the fish?"

"Didn't catch one. We're eating salade tonight," I reveal my leaves, which, I might add, I'm rather proud of.

"You didn't catch a fish? How can you NOT?"

He looks so indignant that I have to laugh at him. So I do. "Just cuz I look like I'm half cat doesn't mean I am."

Apparently he doesn't like me laughing at him. "So you picked a bunch of leaves? Great skills."

Resisting the urge to growl, I respond, "I've never hunted before, what do you expect? I told ya I couldn't fish."

Amber tries to stand between us, "Come on guys, we don't have time for this--"

She goes ignored as Joseph shoots back, "Never hunted, huh? You just come here to kill people."

Inwardly I wince. I knew my little revelation would come back to bite. My voice comes out harshly when I reply, "Better get yer ears checked, that's the second time you've heard wrong." He frowns but I continue, "One: I just said I was SENT here to kill. Didn't say I was gonna. Two: Wolverine said to get 'food'. Not 'fish'."

Conner joins Amber, facing Joseph, "She's got a point, you know. She did her best, no use giving her crap about it."

"Fine," the other boy spits, like the very word has a nasty taste to it. I figgure he's one of those people who never likes to be proved wrong and most likely didn't like who did the proving.

"UGG!" Ana grunts with frustration and throws a stick down into the stream, "I give up!"

I realize that through the conversation she'd kept working on the fire.

"Oh, honey," Amber sits next to the Mexican girl with a smile,"don't worry about it."

"Anyone see Cast Away?" I ask, getting odd looks. Hey, at least they can see me. "He started a fire one it?" I make it a question but still recieve blank look. "Well, I missed that part too, but I've read about making drill fires. "I decide its for the best not to mention Black Stone and exile Island.

"Now! Now you tell us you can make a fire!" good ole Joe throws up his hands and goes back to the impressive shelter. Bully for him.

"I don't 'know' now, its just an eduated guess. How much time we got left?" I turn from my bickering to...well, anyone else.

Ana sighs loudly, "twenty minutes."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, "K," I start, "We need some dry, shredded grass, dry pine needles, the inner bark of a tree and some sticks and twigs." Everything is fetched quick enough while I find a drilling stick and a flat piece of bark. Like an annoying flashback, I go over the steps to making my fire. Deciding to act ignorant, I give semi-vague instructions. When I demonstrate the drilling technique, I hardly notice my claws cutting into my palms. I was used to it.

Amber wasn't. "Oh, my gosh, look at your hands, here," she takes the stick away from me.

"They're fine," I quickly wipe them off on my jeans, really, very little blood, as I'd only just started. I hide my scarred palms from her quick eyes. They don't need to know that part of my life. No one does, as far as I'm concerned. Course, if I ever get a private moment with Wolf, I'd probably blab about it for a week.

Evertually, though, we all team up, sort of, and get the bloody fire going. Its hardly going for a minute before Wolverine practically appears among us. "Time's Up." Everyone jumps, including me; Ana gives a little yelp of surprise and Conner curses under his breath. "You picked a good spot for camp, high ground," he walks around the shelter and in it, "good shelter." He looks through the small stack of wood piled down wind of the fire. I'd already gone through and discarded any green wood. "How'd you start it?" Conner holds up the drill that we hadn't burned yet and explains the the procedure. Our mentor nods. "Good. I'll teach ya another way ta do it with a single person. Food?"

I hand him the big bowl-which Joseph made out of vines-filled with my gatherings.

He smirks at it, "What's this?"

"Food." I say back plainly.

He picks up a dandilion leaf, "What? Vegetarian?"

I actually scoff, "Hardly. But the fish outsmarted me." The last part catches him off guard. Good. It's hard to get under the skin of someone who ridicules herself. Some call it low self esteem, I call it battle techniques.

"How sure are ya that these are even edible?" he's watching me a little too closely and I realize that I'd been unnoticed until I handed him the bowl. He doesn't trust me. The idia almost made me laugh. Almost.

I take the bowl from his hands and hold up a dandilion leafe, "Tastes pretty good, better with ranch dressing, of course. The root can be baked and ground then brewed like coffee, supposedly tasting similar." I hold up a rose hip, "nasty as heck but chocked full of vitimins and nutrients. Its an emergency food cuz it doesn't have to be cooked and stays on the plant all winter long." The alfalfa was held up next, "very bland, making it an emergency food. Good for tea if its mixed with mint. The flowers can be fried. Good for the heart." I hold up the weed last, "Strong taste like kale or spinach. The seeds can be gathered and ground into a flour that supposedly makes good pancakes." I put the bowl down, surprised at myself for remembering all of that.

"Whoa," Amber says with her New York accent (though I'm not sure which one, exactly). "I'm convinced."

The man stares at me, not hostile, which was a first, but more like he's gauging the truth to my words. "Good 'nuff. Team's got an A." He looks away, "Computer, End Program 5172-E." Our surroundings dissolve and I tense. I'm dissapointed, tho, when the trees are reduced to unfriendly metal walls. "Go ta lunch," We're dismissed.

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Too long? Too short? Sorry, its the best I can do, I've been typing these after midnight all weekend. Hope ya like it. Happy Easter! 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

Hopefully, this will be a longer one.

Review Alerts:  
Psylock: wow, i posted my last chapter at 1 AM, and got a review the next morning. Major time zone change, or early riser?

I know more will probably (hopefully) review, but I figured I'd get another chapter in while I had the time.

Quote: One the musical play called "Annie": I had to hit myself on the head afterward with a small hammer to get that stupid "Tomorrow" song out of my head. --Ian Shoales

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All the students have an hour after lunch. I tried to get to a computer, but all of them are full, so I find my way outside. There's actually quite a few kids, even though it's cold out.

I walk around avoiding people on account of them not noticing where I am trying to walk. I catch little bits of conversation, mostly about teachers, the X-Men (Though it's widely known that the teachers ARE the X-Men, they're referred to as nearly different people), or recent anti-mutant ongoings. Mutant teens are surprisingly mature when it comes to public opinions. I pause when I hear a familiar sound. Mean laughter; the only way to describe it. It's not the sound of someone being happy, its the sound someone makes when they're making another suffer. I've heard it enough in my life. So, of course, I turn abruptly on my heel and move towards it.

I find myself walking towards a small alcove, alot like an alley with a dead end; I was surrounded by three walls of the school, facing a small semicircle of maybe four kids, three boys and one girl. I hear a scuffling noise over lapped by their laughter. One boy brings his foot back, making the reciever of his kick yeowl. The noise instantly boils my blood. Marching up behind them, I grab the collar of the kicker and yank him backwards, planting my right foot behind his legs, I tug him upwards a small inch and his legs are easily swept out from under him. Falling incorrectly, he twists around to slam his palms into the frozen earth to catch himself.

"What the hell?!"

Everyone notices me now, but I don't care. I turn to the source of their entertainment. It's a cat. A young black scrawny thing with what looks like a blindfold of tar and three of its feet bound together in the same way. One of the boys had hair made of the same substance, so I turn to him, "Take it off," my voice comes out low and full of threat.

He hesitates and glances toward the boy I'd just thrown, who was being helped up by a girl with four arms and pure black eyes.

I growl, "Don't look at him," and jerk the boy back towards me.

"Don't even think aoubt it, Tar Pit." Once he gets to his feet and faces me, I see that the leader of the group resembles a snake--green scales, cold,serpent eyes, and thin, lethal looking fangs infront of a forked tongue. My hackles rise and another growl escapes my throat.

"Let. It. Go." I say angrily. I'm laughed at.

"Who the hell do you think YOU are?" the snake sneers at me. The rest of his group flanks him, Tar Pit, the girl and another boy with golden wings. He hadn't talked yet and now I saw why; he has a beak for a mouth. My brain connects the dots. The entire group has physical mutations. Things that made it impossible to live normally.

"Cougar. Now let the cat go or I hurt you," I reply.

Another laugh,"The name's Viper, girl," he has a heavy cockney english accent. Jerking his thumb behind him, he makes the introducions. "Shiva, Tar Pit and Hawk. Lemme put this as polite as possible. Sod Off, or YOU get hurt."

My instincts, which Creed had brought out, are in 'fight or flight' mode. Problem? They're now blocking off my exit. My gut is saying "Get Away! SnakeBad.

"Pull crap like this again?" I scoop up the still struggling cat, "I'm gonna de-fang ya. Got it?" I glare at him angrily.

"Put the cat back down, girl, or you'll end up in a mess of pain. I didn't say anything about him, just for YOU to sod off."

"Sod off? That's a Brit thing, right? Heres a quaint little American phrase we like ta use: Screw You." I smile politely, tilting my head a little.

"Three...," he holds up three of his fingers, "Two..."

"Ooh, ya learned ta count? And backwards ta boot, huh?"

I shouln't have been surprised, but his fist swings toward me in an unnaturally smooth motion, I barely have enough time to halfway block him. Falling backwards, I have to twist so I don't land on the cat I'm still holding. I land on my back only having one arm to absorb the shock. Better than getting slugged tho, right?

Leaving the cat on the ground, I don't even stand up completely. My shoulder slams into Viper's stomach and I tuck my head into his right side while my right foot hooks below his left knee. For the second time, I bring him to the ground but this time I go down ontop of him and pin him to the ground. Bearing my teeth, I lean in towards him, "Cat comes with me."

Muscles that normal people don't have roll under me and I lose my balance, bracing myself on the ground as he literally slithers under my grasp. Black gunk encircles my waist to my neck, trapping my arms to my side. I have a phobia of things restricting my movement. So I start freaking, trying to claw my way out. The tar goes flying off in globs, but I don't have enough time to wonder why, Viper tries another right hook, but I block with my forearm and turn into him, grabbing his right arm with both of mine, I throw him over my shoulder. Once again, I pin him, but this time I switch into an armlock.

Strong arms rip me away and I'm yanked roughly aside, "Break it up!" Wolverine snarls, "My office, NOW!" he barks and shoves me hard enough that I almost fall. I turn to see a crowd of onlookers and my team. They'd kept the rest of Vipers people from ganging up on me, and I realize that Amber had freed me from the tar. I feel like I should say something, but Wolverine gives me another forceful push. "I said GO!" he roars after me.

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Here I am. Sitting aone in Wolverine's office, waiting to get lectured. I've actually been here a good ten minutes. getting bored.  
The door is nearly ripped off its hindges behind me and I jump to my feet and whirl around to see a very ticked off man.

The poor door is then slammed hard enough to make the glass rattle. "Sit." He barks at me with such animosity that I drop to my seat instantly. Yup. I'm very scared. Shaking like a leaf, practically

He sits down across from me and, crossing his arms across his broad chest, commences to glare at me. Its a fierce gaze and I drop mine quickly. I raise it back up once I realize I've done it and it takes all my will power to hold it.

"What the HELL did ya think ya were doin'?" his voice was quiet. Quiet things are dangerous. My eyes drop again. Forget it. I can't do it.

"Answer me," he snarls when I don't respond.

I glance back up and hold contact long enough to answer meekly, "helping a cat."

As impossible as it may seem, his scowl darkens. "Don't feed me that shit."

Teachers aren't suppose to swear, are they? I blink at him, "What?"

His palms slam into the desk, making me jump. "There's a kid down in the medlab getting stitches and being fitted with a sling!"

"I didn't cut him up." Now I'm frowning.

"I'm not an idiot. Lemme guess, ya never knew that when ya grabbed someone yer claws dug in?"

"Actually, I didn't."

Wolverine's hands clenched into fists and he closes his eyes for a second. "You start another fight again, even for a real reason, yer outta here, ya got that?"

"Wait just a minute. I didn't start the fight, it was self defense, he took the first swing!"

"This aint open for debate," he glowers at me, but I'm mad now.

"Bull it aint! They were harassing a cat. I tried to get it away and HE threw a punch at me. It was friggin' self defense and if you weren't such a jerk, ya'd ask around and find out I'm right!" I'm standing now and don't remember doint it.

"Sit back down," he demands.

"Screw this," I turn and leave his office.

He must not have ever had some one walk away from him, especially a student. I get two doors down the hall before I hear him bellow, "Get Back Here!" and halfway through the rec room before he catches up.

My left arm is siezed in a tight grip by his metal laced hand and I'm spun around to face him before I can even react. I would have fallen if his hold wasn't keeping my upper body stationary. I try to jerk away but fail.

"Don't you walk away from me, kid. We aint finished." he says through bared teeth and with a look that could kill easily. My hackles raise.

"Ah think you be scarin' her, mon ami," a thick french accent intrudes on the overly tense moment. A lanky man with long auburn hair pulled back is playing solitair to my right. I hadn't noticed him before, but he continues his game as if he hadn't spoken.

"Keep outta this, gumbo," Wolverine says in his direction.

I try to take advantage of the distraction by freeing my arm, failing again. "Let go." I growl.

The grip tightens and I catch my breath, my free hand going automatically to the source of pain.

"We need ta have a lil' lesson on respect."

Once again, the cajun voice speaks up, "Think your hurtin' her Logan." Cards continue to shuffle.

"Shut up," he snaps.

"Let go," I demand.

"Wolverine..." There's a strange static noise, like when you first turn on a computer and one of the cards in the man's hand begins to glow a reddish color. He's finally looking at us, or Wolverine to be more precise; red on black eyes narrowed.

Wolverine scowls at him a moment, then turns back to me and looks at his hand as if he's just realizing that its cutting off my circulation. Dropping it abruptly, he turns on his heel and skulks away.

"Ya'll right, petite?" the man goes back to his cards while I rub my arm and try to figure out who he is from all those quizzes Magneto gave me.

"Yea. And don't call me that." I sound pouty, but I don't care. I'm not having a good day. A heavy sigh escapes my body and I move towards him. "Uhm...Thanks..." I frown, wondering why I can't remember him. Too many names.

"Remy Lebeau, petite," he looks up long enough to smile charmingly at me, then back to his game.

"Gambit," I say with sudden recognition.

"Oui. Ya missed mah class yesterday," his eyes glance up.

"Really?" I shrug, "Which one?"

"Stealth Training" he moves his ten of diamonds under his Jack of spades.

"Oh. Move your four of clubs up to the ace."

He looks up again and asks, "Why?"

"Cuz then ya can move the five of hearts above it to the ace, then move the six of hearts , giving you a free spot for the King of Spades in your deck so you can move that queen of hearts."

"Very good, petite. Ya play solitaire alot?"

"Back home, some snow storms would knock the power out for a week. Solitair's been my TV replacement since I was five.

After nodding and moving the cards like I said, he asks, "Where's 'home' den?"

I rub my temple. I'm getting another headache from concentrating all day. "Mon-Dak. Montana-North Dakota border. I live on the North Dakota side. Well, lived."

"Dat's right. Cougar, non?"

"Yea."

"Ya must be a feral." He looks up when I don't answer right away.

"Uhm...I dunno really...why?" My one word question sounds accusing but being feral scares me. I'd seen Creed lose it before and tapes of other ferals. Wolf was one, but her wild side was easy to check she'd said once.

"Wolverine don' get along wit other ferals, dats all. Aint yo' fault, or his, really. McCoy say its like two animals fightin for territory. Don let 'im get ta ya."

A bell rings before I can answer and I nearly jump out of my skin.

"See you next period, petite," He nods his head toward the door in a dismissal.

"Ok," I say and start out.

I head for my next class, which is Chemistry with the blue furred Dr. McCoy. I like him. All the new students had a formal introduction of all the teachers and he seemed like one of those cool ones. During class he kept quoting authors and other dead people. It was fun.

I'm early for stealth class...even before the teacher and I have a slight panic attack that I'm in the wrong place. The room starts filling and Gambit enters, making everyone shut up.

"Role call," he frowns at the paper.

"Amber"  
"here"  
Aliah"  
"here"  
"Brad"  
"here"  
"Cougar"  
"yea."

He scans the room and I have to concentrate for him to notice me. My head hurts again, but he notices me, nods and continues. At the end of roll call, he goes and sits behind the desk and props his feet up. "For those of you dat weren't here, les' do a lil' recap of dis class. You gonna learn ta be unnoticed. You gonna learn ta observe. You gonna learn, eventually, how ta pick locks, escape simple security systems, an ta get one of de best rushes of yo' life," he grins. "Dis class is gonna be easier fo' some of you. You people who went thru most of yo' life bein' ignored, goin' by wit out no one takin' note. You gonna excell in dis class." He looks around, "Most o' you are loud and attention demanders anyway tho, no?"

A couple of names are shouted out but I don't know anyone. The rest of the period he tries to teach us ways to walk with out footsteps. Interesting stuff, really.

XXXXXX

Woot, another chapter down. I'm making a dent, no?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

Review Replies

SoulMama: Yea...school sucks. i'm glad I'm done for the summer.

ravestar15: Yea...its really weird. Wolverine has always been my favorite (with Gambit a close second) and yet, I make him a real jerk in this fic. It confuzzles even me.

Wolfy: Hey, write your own fic. I'm no good at writing you. to do so, I'd have to get into your head, and frankly, it scares me. Its dark in there...and things growl at me...and poke me... O.O

Psylocke: 8 cats is alot...And when I first wrote the chapter, I intended her to take the cat in...then it just never came up...maybe I'll do a little revising...thanks

Quote: I have CDO. It's like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but its in alphabetical order, as it should be. --Anon.

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Once again, my roommate shifts in her bed. Kristy. That's her name. She can breathe underwater. She wants to be a teacher at one of the schools. She had a loving family with a little white poodle. She likes fish. She keeps an aquarium near her bed. She named her fish Dot and Henri and King Tut. She likes to talk. ALOT.

I glance at the clock for the zillionth time. 2:34 a. m. Great. Another shift and a mumble about a garden comes from the other side of the room. Sighing out loud, I get out of bed. Only wearing a T-shirt and pair of boxers, I pull on a some jeans. Screw shoes, who needs 'em.

First I go downstairs and somehow find the kitchen. Nothing good to eat, as I was informed earlier by Kristy that a couple of the teachers were going on another health food kick. Happens frequently, I guess. So I go out the back door. Wishing I'd worn a sweater, I take a deep breath. Grass. Dirt.Trees. I don't think that I like trees anymore.

From the corner of my eye, I catch a movement in the darkness. Then I pick up a freindly meow. The black cat whom I'd rescued earlier pattered up noiselessly to greet me. I crouch in the cold grass to stroke it. "You're a friendly little thing aren't ya?" I croon to it. The feline meows it's response, then, apparently hearing a rustling back in the shrubbery where it'd come from, it dissappears once more.

My attempt at relocating it are fultile. When cats don't want to be found, they aren't. I listen for another call but I only hear the few leaves still clinging to the branches above my head. Their rustling quietly, but I can't feel the wind that's blowing them, creating unexpected sadness.

Before I know it, I'm heading upstairs, halfway to the third floor before I realize it. My shields are up incase I come across anyone that could tell me to go back to bed. I can't find the very top, but I get close enough. Ducking under some DO NOT ENTER tape, I step out onto a balcony. Its made of stone, which almost freezed my bare feet. Some of the railing and floor is missing, my guess from some previous assault since it looks a little singed. Moving out to an edge, I rest my hand on the broken rail and close my eyes. A breeze flits against my face, blowing my loose hair back.People out here migh call it a wind, but its only around five miles per hour. Normal North Dakota stuff is fifteen, and that's still a breeze. Breathing in deeply, I start to feel better.

"Don't jump," a gravelly voice says from out of nowhere.

By the time that the 'don't' was out, I'd spun around, eyes flying open. Wolverine is hadly a foot away from me and I instinctively take a step back...into air. My stomach flutters and my heart does a funny little start as I fall backwards. Limited breath allows me to let out a surprised 'yip' like noise. Falling seems to happen fast but with enough time for me to wonder, 'shouldn't this be in slow motion?'

But I'm grabbed and stop falling, which is a really good thing, yea?

"Jesus, kid, I said DON'T jump." Looking up I see Wolverine leaning dangerously over the ledge.

"If you drop me, I'll come back and haunt ya." My threat is crappy with my voice shaking, but I mean it.

"Relax," he shifted above me and I realized he wasn't in a good position. "I need you ta reach up with yer other hand and grab ahold of my arm."

I nod, licking my very dry lips and swing up, making us both drop a little. My claws dig into his flesh.

"Slowly..." he cautions, but I have his wrist none the less. "K, I'm gonna pull ya up now, ready?" He doesn't wait for my response, just starts to slowly tow me upard. Once he's back in the 'safe' zone, I'm dragged up and over the ledge and then some. I lay there for a minute catching my breath until he starts to loosen my clawed grip from his forearm. "You can let go now."

"Right." I leave some gashes and watch as they quickly knit back up. It's kind of disgusting.

"Did ya think I'd drop ya or what?" his questions partly sarcastic. He moves and leans up against the wall.

My answer is serious, "Crossed my mind, yea." I it on the other side of the door.

"Didn't Bucket-Head teach ya nothin' bout the X-Men? We don't kill. School rule." He takes out a cigar but doesn't notice me wrinkle my nose.

"You'll have to excuse me. My previous teacher was a psychopath who frequently assured me that he could 'snuff out my pathetic life in a wink'. Direct quote. He strikes a match and moves it up to the cigar and I can't help myself, "Don't smoke, it stinks."

He snorts, but waves the match out, continueing to chew on the unlit cigar. "What're ya doin' up here?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Most kids watch TV."

I shrug. Another breeze winds its way to where we're seated. "It smells like snow...or maybe frost..."

Wolverine grunts confirmation then asks, "Ya notice the weather alot?"

"Kinda hard to ignore back home."

He grunts again, "Montana."

"North Dakota, technically. MonDak if you like."

"Not much out there ta miss, I'd think."

I'm getting tired of people bringing up home, so shrug, "Well, I miss the nothing then."

He reaches across the space and takes my arm above the elbow. I jerk back and glare before I know it. "Settle down," he chides, "I aint gonna hurt ya." This time, I let him take my arm and push my shirt sleeve up a bit, revealing bruised fingerprints.

"Looks like ya already did," I reply coldly and remove my arm again.

After a sigh, he moves back to where he was seated and resumes chewing on his cigar. "Yea, sorry 'bout that. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

I shrug and don't look at him. "Gambit said that it was cuz we're both ferals."

"It wasn't listed as one o' yer powers. Usually, I get the Professor ta reassign 'em. Cuts back on tensions."

"I didn't list it as a power."

"Why?" It comes out more of a snort than a word. Then he adds quieter, "Ya had problems controllin' it?"

Sighing, I decide to tell the truth. Why not? "I've lost it a couple times. But the people deserved it. And I haven't killed anyone yet." I wince at that last word, not having meant to say it. "Creed helped me out alot."

"Heh," Woverine sneered, "Creed? Teachin' self control?"

"No. He wanted me ta give in and be like him." I look up from my fingernails, which I've been staring at with undeserved concentration. My eyes shift to the stars and I frown. There's more stars in North Dakota. "I know what he's like. I wouldn't follow his path even if he dragged me."

There's a long silence until he finally says, "Ya shouldn't be up here ya know."

"Why?"

"Could have somethin' ta do with half the balcony missing."

I shrug, "Maybeso. Did you find the cat?"

The abrupt topic change doesn't effect him. "Yep."

"Is it OK?"

"Yep."

He doesn't say anything else so I don't either. We sit in silence until my feet begin to ache from the cold and I'm shivering slightly. "Night," I say as I get up.

He must not have heard many students tell him good night because he gives me an odd look. Not like it's personal or anything. Saying Good Night was a rule in our hosue. But he nods before I start down the stairs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It's 9:30 Saturday morning. Most of the students can slep in. What do I do? Well, since I, andm y team, were caught fighting, we've been up since 6 o'clock. We did some aerobics, then some self defense training with Mr. Logan--not too hard. But THEN we ran five miles.

Needless to say, the entire team is gasping for air and trying not to collapse. If I could have kept my own pace, I'd be alble to do it with out much fuss after the first mile or so, but we were suppose to keep Wolverine's pace. I'm the shortest person on the team. Both of the boys and Amber are taller than Wolverine with Ana only a frog's hair shorter. I'm only 5'3", which give me shorter legs too. That's my excuse anyway. ((A/N: I've read that he's anywhere between 5'3" and 5'7", so I'm picking 5'6". Deal with it.)) I'm at the back of the line and annoyed with myself about it. By the fifth mile, though, everyone's dragging butt and I doubt that anyone cares.

"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Our mentor asks as we reach the mansion grounds once more.No one answers for lack of breath and he continues, "Ya got half an hour, then we're back to the gym for weight training. Don't let your muscles tighten up."

I can't believe it. He's hardly out of breath. Isn't it disgusting? This day is gonna suck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Monday

Yipee! I survived the weekend. Saturday night I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow...or maybe before, I'm not sure. Anyway, I wake up Monday morning with a slight headache, so my day starts out with asprin and caffienated coffee. Unfortunately, I have tests in most of my morning classes with specific instructions to stay 'visible'. I don't bother to explain that I don't go INvisible int he first place, but whatever.

All the concentration gradually increases my headache so that by team time it's a full fledged migrain. That's white hot rail road spikes being pounded through my eyes, sensitivity to light, sound and smell, nausia, weakness and shakiness. Of course, we're going to lift weights today.

I'm struggling with simple weights. My head feels like it's going to explode. I wanna throw up until Wolverine comes over. Now I just wanna go die.

"What's the matter, Cougar?" he seems annoyed.

"Nothin'" I get up from the bench and motion for Amber to switch off with me. She knows that I still have four more reps, but doesn't argue, thank God.

While I spot her, Wolverine continues, "You were doin' more'n that on Saturday." He studies me and I try to go unseen.

"Yea, well, I could still feel my arms on Saturday." I'm counting with Amber, but she does more than she needs to.

"Go into the office." His words are quiet and they make me uneasy, but I obey, since talking increases the pain.

The room is dark and I leave the lights off, they hurt my eyes and I can see fine anyway. When Mr. Logan come is he flicks them on and I visibly wince. "Have a seat," he motions to a chair.

"I'd rather stand." A lie. What I really want to do is curl up in the fetal position, clutching my head till I fall asleep.

"Fine," he shrugs and studies me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," I don't look at him. His head is too close to the light, really. I cross my arms across my chest, then uncross them.

"Bull." His eyes continue to look me over until he snatches at one of my hands. I try to pull it back but he holds it up, "Yer shakin'."

"Yea," I say unenthusiastically, then add, "I'm just terrified of ya."

"Cut the crap." Oh, yea, I've annoyed him. Like that's real hard to do. "What's goin' on?" He pauses for a moment then asks quietly, "Ya goin' cold turkey?"

Wow...I don't think...let's just leave it at that. I must have looked confused too.

"Drugs. Ya havin' withdrawls?"

I frown, then resist the urge to rub my temple, which is pounding at the moment. Instead, I ask, "Drugs?...wait...Oh!" I laugh but then stop when it hurts. "No. I don't do drugs." He gives me a look like he doesn't believe me so I elaborate, "Drugs are bad," and nod in confirmation of myself.

He continues to scowl at me and it crosses my mind that his face is probably stuck in that position. I don't say anyting either. He's annoying me. Not a whole lot of people pick up on me having a migrain. Wolf had a sixth sense about it. Otherwise only longtime mothers and grandmothers noticed that I was 'white as a sheet'. "So?" He prompts finally

"...so..." I reply, still not looking at him. It's the light, I swear.

"Yer tryin' my patience kid," he finally growls.

"Yea," I nod, "I think I have that effect on alotta people." And for that comment I recieve a look that could easily kill.

"Look, ya don't wanna talk ta me, fine. Then go ta the medlab and not talk ta them. Fer now, yer wastin'my time and not gettin' anything outta this class."

"Hey, least I was tryin," I snap at him, glaring. His stupid light sends daggers into my skull and my eyes close against the pain. I reach my hand to my forehead, massaging it with enough force to bruise. Sitting down with a sigh, I explain, "I got a migrain."

"That it?" he seems surprised. I hate him with a passion.

"What'd ya mean 'that it?' I'm in friggin' pain here and tring ta ignore it and YOU accuse me of being a friggin' druggy!"

"That aint what I meant, so cool it. Yer forgettin' that this place is full of telepaths. Migrains are a common occurance. How long have ya been having them?"

"Since I was two." He must have thought that it was due to my powers, because he gave me a surprised look. I added, "I inherited them from my dad. He grew out of them, I kind of did, but still get them sometimes like if I have to concentrate on my powers."

He moves behind the desk and opens a drawer. After shuffling around its contents, he announces, "I got Ibuprofen and Asprin. Do they work?"

"No." I concentrate on breathing. "I'm gonna throw up in like two minutes. Just so ya know..." I continue to breathe.

"Then take a couple hours off'n go ta bed."

I look at him through eyes narrowed in both pain and suspicion.

"Just do it," he glares, then adds, "I'll get teh message to yer roommate ta leae ya be."

"Umm...thanks." I get up and leave, stopping at the bathroom first. There's another girl there who gives me a strange look. Since I'm skinny as a rail, she probably thinks I'm Bulemic. Or Pregnant. Lets see if rumors spread quickly in this school, shall we?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry it took so long. I'll start the next one too!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

Review Replies:

Wolf: I said "had" because in the fic, you are still in North Dakota where as I am all the way across the continent in New York. HOWEVER if you were to finish your own fic, then you could reclaim the ability. HINT HINT

Balecka92: Thanks. I like the sarcasm too, its fun to write.

SoulMama: YOUR WELCOME! And here's another!

Psylocke: Yea, I had to humanize Logan. I felt bad that I'd written him as such a jerk, and I felt that I had to kind of justify him.

Quote: "I didn't see it coming, but I sure felt it roll over my head. It feels very strange to have a truck run over your head." --Ryan Lipscomb.

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Apparently some kind of rumor spread while I was sleeping off Monday. I slept from noon till about seven, but then I just got my homework and spent a couple hours on it and went back to bed.

The next morning, I notice that something is off. If anyone even notices me, they either drop eye contact or glare. Really, I don't care too much because it just means that they'll leave me alone. I'm fine with it all until team time comes around.

We're doing a simple team exercise. The object is to get around some obstacle course as a team and then get the flag and bring it back to Mr. Logan. Over all, we're doing all right, hitting a few snags, but its doable. My team, though, is giving me the cold shoulder. Ana won't look at me. Amber gives me a dirty look whenever she sees me. Joseph is glaring up a storm (which really doesn't bother me because his glare is kiddy stuff comprared to Wolf's). And Conner is pretending that I don't exist. All combined, it's begining to get on my nerves.

We take too much time on the course. It wouldn't have happened if they would have just let me get the stupid flag. It was gaurded by sensores which don't pick me up, but NOOOOOOO, they had to fight their way through all the people that got in our way. We also got docked because we hurt too many people. So now we have to meet back after our last class and do the course again.

"Better take half the time ya did this time," Wolverine warned. "Go ta lunch." Hm...he seems annoyed. Big fat hairy deal.

I follow my team back to the main floor of the mansion, "All right," I concentrate to make them notice me, "Some one gonna fill me in on why I'm the object of disdain today?"

Jason snorts, "She doesn't even know? Lke it's no big deal." He's talking to Amber, who also gives me a scornful look.

I blink. Yep, at a loss here. They don't bother to explain, just walk right past me. All right, fine. I'll figure it out on my own. Its not like I ever did anything to them. They chose to get in on that fight with Viper, and I did thank them for it and apologize for being the cause of Saturday morning exericises. They didn't even seem mad at that.

I sit by myself at lunch, not really eating much. The rest of my team isn't even sitting together. Conner is the closest to me, one table up, with some other boys. I evesdrop in on their conversation.

A boy with very red hair adresses Conner first. "Isn't that Cougar chick on YOUR team?"

"Yea. So?" He replies hotly.

"So, how do you know that she won't sell the team out later? Or what if she's already sold out the school?"

Another boy with blonde hair and blue eyes added, "Yea, what if she's, like, wired or something?"

Conner doesn't look at them, just mutters, "She's not."

"Yea, but how do you KNOW?" the first insists. "She was with Magneto too, I mean, how trustworthy can she be?"

Ah, I think, so this isn't about Magneto...

"Look, I don't know, OK?" Conner gets up abruptly.

The blonde scowls at him, "Sit back down, we just wanna talk to ya...unless you've got something to hide too?" He looks over to the first boy.

"I don't got anything to hide," my teammate glared back.

"Yea?" the redhead stands up now too, "No need to get deffensive. Can't be too cautious now days anyway. Guess you can never tell whose a back stabbing bitch and who aint, right?"

Really, I know that I can be a bitch. I'm not all that offended but I guess Conner is. "She's not a bitch, ok? So lay off." He grabs his plate and shoulders his way past the redhead.

"HEY!" He shoves Conner foreward hard enough to make him go to his knees and drop his tray of food. The blonde stands up and backs his buddy.

Conner quickly gets back up to his feet and shoves the first backwards into his friend. Back home, every spring, fights broke out in the music room . I blamed it on Spring Fever. No matter what, fights always start as shoving matches. I slowly rise to my feet.

The boys shove some more until blondie takes a good swing at Conner. It's blocked but now things get nasty. All three boys are in teams, all three learning fighting skills. Most of the lunch room is gathering. None of my teammates are here but Ana, who's being blocked by another girl, probably from Red and Blondie's team. A boy named Kyle from my stealth class grabs Coner from behind. I walk around my table as Blondie helps Kyle and Red starts punching. He recieves a quick kick in the stomache. Wolverine's teaching us well, especially if the odds are against us. By the time he stops doubling over, I'm unnoticed behind him. He pulls his arm far back and I grab it real quick, twisting it suddenly, I get him into an armlock from behind.

"That's enough," I say clear enough for most to hear. I can feel the adrenalin pumping through my veins. "You guys got a problem with me, keep it with me." Red tries to pull away and I wrench on his arm enough to make him hiss. "Now," I continue to the others, "Let Conner go and I'll let him go. If you don't, I'll break his arm."

"She's bluffing."

I let out a short laugh, "Heh, no, I'm PMSing, so don't screw with me." Out of the corner of my eye, I see a couple teachers come into the room, Storm and Banshee. The others saw them too and quickly let Conner go. His lip was bleeding and starting to swell.

I release Red and he turns on me with a fierce glare. I smirk back, not smugly, I didn't really know if I could have broken his arm, so I know that I was smirking, nervously, throughout the ordeal.

"Bitch." He growls at me.

"Born and raised," I reply quietly.

Storm is the first to break throught he crowd and demands, "What's going on?"

Everyone turns to her, so I slip unnoticed through the crowd. I wasn't going to get in trouble for this. I stopped the fight. And if they yell at me for leaving the scene of the crime, I'll just say that I was feeling a feral rage coming on and had to get some air. I head outside, skip my next couple of classes. I never used to skip anything, really. Guess my life just sucks more than it used to.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After all the classes are out, I go to my room. Kristy sniffs loudly and leaves upon my entrance. I glare at her retreating back. I'm not in the mood. I don't know what to do, so I start writing Wolf a letter. Snail mail isn't as fun as email. You can vent yor anger by stabbing the keyboard while typing. You just keep breaking the lead of pencils and making too many mistakes with pens on letters. I tear up my third attempt.

There's a knock on the door and I consider not being there. They knock again louder. Getting up, I stalk to the door and yank it open with a scowl. It turns into a look of cool indifference when I see Conner there. "What?" I demand.

He looks a little shocked. His lip is still puffy. "I, Uh...came to say thanks," he stammers.

"Don't bother," boy, I'm in a surly mood. "You helped me. Now we're even." I close the door on him, cutting off his response.

Before I even turn around he knocks again. I open the door and glare back.

"You want to know why everyone's giving you the freeze?" He smiles weakly and it's fake.

"Why?" I give a very real scowl.

"Go watch some T.V. Especially the sitcom channels. Watch the commercials."

"Why?" I repeat, being stubborn.

"Look, just do it ok?" he's impatience almost makes me smile. Almost. But he turns and leaves before I can say anything else. People are coming down the hall and he doesn't want to be seen with me.

So I do it. I go to one of the rec rooms and sit and watch Law and Order on TNT, then another episode. I've seen them both, by the way. I'm about ready to smother myself out of boredom when a commercial comes on talking about the current mutant problem. It catches my attention and before I know it, my jaw's dropped open at the speaker of the commercial. Richard Blackstone. Then my eyes bug out as I see me, playing the savage mutant remarkably well, then me coming out of The Pit looking like a druggy and finally I'm seen smiling for the camera and making something in an assembly line.

My mind is freaking. A shapeshifter. He must have gotten a shape shifter. Or it could have been mind control..no, wait...telepaths couldn't get into my head...but my powers were dampened by that field...but it must have been a shapeshifter.

I lean back on the couch and say in a near whisper, "Son of a bitch..." for almost an hour I sit in shock on that couch. I watch the commercial three more times. Then I go up to my balcony and think all kinds of ill wishes towards Blackstone. Wolverine comes. He tells me that I missed supper. I shrug and he leaves. He didn't mention that I missed class, or team training, or the fight where I threatened to break another kid's arm. Some time after sunset I realize that he's keeping an eye on me. Doesn't show himself, but I couldn't care less. I just sit and think until my eyes burn and my body aches. Then I go to bed where I toss and turn all night.

XXXXXXXXXX

Very short, I know, but if I didn't cut it off at this spot, it'd be SUPER LONG because there's no other place to cut it off at that wouldn't REALLY bug you guys. The fun stuffs coming up.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Review Replies:

Wolfy-poo: yes. work sucks. But don't worry, you'll be rejoining the good side again. nods

Soul Mama: Well, i hope you have a good summer despite work.

Psylocke: Thanks. I hope this chapter's exciting as well...hopehopehope...

Quote: The man who can smile when things go wrong has thought of someone else he can blame it on. -- Robert Bloch

XXXXXXXXXXXXX Wednesday Everyone still hates me. I not only go through morning classes unnoticed, I'm flat out ignored. We don't do any group kind of thing during team time either, we just run alot. I didn't eat lunch. I am hungry, but I just dont' want to be around that many people.

So here I am, walking around the school building and avoiding the trees. I have dreams of the woods now. The trees close in, nothing makes sense, the snow tries to reach up and lock on my feet and hands until they ache. And Creed. He's always in the dreams and I'm always running from him and fighting the possessed woods.. Sometimes Blackstone's groons are in it, zapping me. Yea, I know it's wierd.

Because I'm an idiot, I walk and ponder my stupid dreams until I'm hit from behind with enough force to bring me to my knees. Turning, I glare daggers up into the smug face of Viper. How the Hell did he find me? Must have enhanced senses...Pffftt, everyone but me.

"You think you're something great, huh?" he demands as I rise to my feet and face him. Of course, he'd flanked by his cronies. Great.

"No, I think I'm a pathetic loser with no friends. Now, if ya don't mind, I'm trying to reflect on my pointless life." (bonus points for anyone who picked up on my depression!!) I turn my back on them and get half a step away before my arm is siezed and I'm spun around.

Yea. Now I'm pissed. "Don't," I wrench my arm from Viper's grasp and continue trhough bared fangs, "Touch. Me."

I'm laughed at. They actually laugh at me. Then their stupid leader really ticks me off and asks, "Or what? You'll call your slave holder pal and sell us all?" he sneers at me.

I could justify myself. I could explain that I, myself, was the slae. I could say that they used high voltage cattle prods on me like an animal to make me lose it. I could tell them that it really wasn't me the whole time. I could explain. Instead, I stand there looking at them.

Viper glowers at me, then spits on me. It almost gets to my face, but I instinctively react to block it with my arm. It ubrns too. Must be the venom. But his words hold more poison than his spittle, "Traitor," he hisses.

I snap. I mean, everything is just this blackness and all I really focus on is causing damage. I'm not hitting or punching like Wolverine is teaching us or throwing and pinning like Judo taught me. Instead, I follow Sabertooth's path and try to rip out his throat and slash my way through anoyone that tries to stop me.

He's fighting back too, I know. Slithering, slinking. He even sinks his serpant fangs into me twice. The bite on my left forarm feels like its on fire. We wrestle and roll around, then he kicks me in the gut, sending me four feet away. Crouching, we both glare across the distance. I close the gap by lunging and try to sink my claws into as much flesh as possible, but he's slippery.

I'm plucked off of him after a couple minutes. I don't know how long we'd been fighting. One of Wolverine's arms manages to hold both of mine. Squirming, I deploy the trick I'd used on Creed. I reach my claws up and shread through his binding flesh. Before I realize what he's doing, he uses his other arm to stop my claws and pin my for arms to my chest. With one arm holding tight to my chest, the other snakes around my waist. I'm sandwiched between his barrel of a chest and his metal boned arms.

"That's enough," he calmly starts backing away, dragging me with him. "Settle down now. It's over." He keeps reassuring me quietly.

But I don't want it to be over. I growl and hiss and try to writher my way from his grasp, which just doesn't seem to work. By trapping me, he makes me even angrier and I try harder to hurt him, kicking back at his legs and finding a few soft patches of flesh to embed my claws into.Wolverine simply tightens his hold of me and says something over my head about cooling me off to Cyclops, who's talking to Viper.

I struggle harder still. I don't WANT to cool off. I want to rip things to shreds. I want to stay mad, and I have no idea why, but I like the feeling and I'm not ready to let it go. The anger...the rage, it feels better, because it's the only thing that I can feel. There's no more hurt or confusion or loneliness or betrayal. There's just me, my claws, my teeth, my anger. He says something to me, but I snarl at Wolverine's words of comfort.

Then we start moving, walking towards those stupid woods. I resist, without effect, as my human straight jacket continues to force me to move with him. I drop my weight and then abruptly jerk to my left, off balancing him maybe a tiny bit. But I'm not fast enough to take advantage of it. I twist and jerk and throw my weight every which way, but I can't off balance him again to my dismay. I'm still fighting mad when we come upon a small clearing in the trees. I try once more to lunge out of his hold and am rewarded by him letting me drop. I slam into the ground. Turning with a snarl, I face Wolverine, who just stares down at me, unmovingly. He stands there while I pick myself up and then launch myself at him, claws first. Unexpectedly, he seizes a wrist and flings me back tot he ground, using my momentum to propell me. "Don't," is all he says.

Of course, I do by lunging again. He steps aside a split second before I reach him. While passing, he chops me in the middle of my back, right between my shoulder blades and I end up on my hands and knees, not quite able to get up right away.

"Ya wanna fight me kid?"

Still on my hands and knees, I stare at his scuffed boots as he continues, "Didn't think so. Yer gonna stay here and cool off until I come get ya. That understood?"

I glare up at him murderously, my sharp teeth clenched in rage.

"Good. Leave before I let you? I'll bring ya back." Turning on his heel, he stalked back into the forest.

I growl in his direction, catch my breath, and stalk out of his stupid clearing. I almost make it to the edge of the stupid forest when my stupid teacher grabs my stupid arm again.

"I told ya ta stay," he says while dragging me back.

Digging my heels into the forest's soft carpet, I slow his progress just enough. He turns toward me and I knee him in the groin. The ussual 'wumf' noise exscapes his mouth and he doubles over. I make my break but don't get more than a few feet before I'm siezed again and roughly draggd back to the starting point.

Wolverine shoves me to the ground and growls, "DONT make me bring you back AGAIN."

Turning his back on me, he heads into the woods again. I'm still raging and locate a stick next to me. I hurl it at his head. My aim sucks and he doesn't even bother to turn around.

After maybe fifteen minutes of storming around the clearing, I kick a tree and hurt my foot. With an ungraceful flop, I sit down and take off my shoe and rub the throbbing big toe. Glaring at the world, I reflect on my life and decide that it sucks. Maybe I can go back home. I just can't let the town know that a cop killer mutant was around. My nose wrinkles. Yea, I know I was only mad because anger's easier than fewar, or depression, and I was kinda feeling both. "Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear," I mutter the quote to nothing in particular.

"Makes sense." Wolverine replies from behind me.

I jump a foot and whirl around to snap,"Don't do that."

Mildly, he replies, "Start payin' better attention ta yer surroundings."

This time, I turn my back on him. My scowl gets wasted on a ladybug.

"Ya wanna talk, kid?"

"No."

"Ya need more time ta cool off?" His voice is still mild.

"No."

"Then can the attitude."

I don't say anything and, instead, take a look at my left arm where Viper had given me a nasty bite. It's swollen, red and warm to the touch. Sharp pains make me wince as I press directly on the puncture wounds. Masochist

"His bite's poisonous," he watches me then adds, "But that's aout as bad as it'll get. Might wanna get a cold pack for it."

Mentally, I take stock of my injuries for the first time. My abdomen feels like it should after it's been kicked, my right shoulder has a puncture wound and a shallow, swollen gash from Viper's fangs. My arms are bruised from blockeing blows, the spot between my shoulder blades is sore and I have a fat lip. And my big toe. Stupid tree. Not too bad, really. "So how's he?" I ask quietly, hoping also for the first time that I didn't hurt him too badly.

"Yer lucky his skin's tougher than what yer pobably used to. He needs stitches. Might scar, but probably not."

I grunt back. He'll be fine, so I won't waste my worry on him. Got plenty of me to worry about.

"Get back before dark, and don't make me come after ya."

Because I'm still in a surley mood, I stay out there till it IS dark. I like to do things to spite people. Petty, yes, I know.

I'm just sitting iwth my knees pulled to my chest and my arms crossed over them, resting my head and thinking how horrible everything is.

A twig snaps infront of me. I glare up, expecting Wolverine. My feline eyes bug out at what they see.

"Hello, kitty cat," Creed sneers down at me.

The normal things happen: muscles tense, heart beat quickens, breath catches in my throat, eyes stay buggy and my mouth opens slightly. All at once, my depression kicks fear's butt and I slump back to normal, saying in a bored voice, "Creed, can't you attack some other time?" I think I confuse him. His sneer's gone, anyway. With a deep sigh, I rise to my feet and ask, "So are you gonna kill me?"

"No. Yer comin' back."

I shake my head, "This aint my favorite place either, but it beats the heck outta Magneto's."

He thinks about it for a minute. "You were gonna let me kill ya, but not take ya back ta Liensherrs?"

"Right."

"Damn. Too bad killin' ya wasn't an option," he reaches his clawed hand for me.

Wow. Fear suddenly became violent or something because it just completely vanquished my depression. I barely avoid getting caught, then duck around the psycho. I always had agility over Creed's strength. I plunge into those trees without a second thought. Keep in mind, I have night vision, so the darkness isn't really an obstacle for me. Of course, Sabertooth's only a frog's hair behind me. His claws reach out and snatch enough of my shirt to allow him to gain that small distance and he very painfully tackles me to the ground. The wind gets knocked out of me, but one thing comes to mind and as soon as I manage a lungful, I hollar as loud as I can manage, "WOLVERINE!"

I'm slapped hard enough that I see stars, that SOB. He's muttering curses ontop of me while trying to wrestle my wrists together into handcuffs. I'm making it so difficult (cuz I'm a slipperly lil' bugger) that Wolverine pops out of nowhere and slams his own claws knuckle-deep into Creed's side. I wonder if I'll go deaf fromt he volume of his scream. Maybe a roar would better describe it...

A bunch of other X-Men show up, but some of them are batteling flying mutants. My mind panics. They're going after Cerebro. Which meant that Jason was outt here somewhere. I try getting some adults attention, but they're working so efficiently as a team that they're everywhere at once. A couple people are ganged up on Creed, so I go to the only X-Man that can sense me. I must have smelled scared cuz he looked right at me and barked, "Get to the School!"

"Cerebro!" I yell over an explosion.

"Get the hell outta here!"

My mind is kind of jumbled so instead, I grab his arm and try to drag him with me, "No, they're--"

I'm slammed to the ground as a lightning bolt fizzes over my head. I can't breathe, Wolverine's practically crushing me.

"What the Fck Storm?" he yells up into the sky.

"That's Tap!" I manage to say, being rewarded with him getting halfway off of me so I can continue, "She's spose to tap into storms power. And Succubus is spose to get rid of Jean's telepathy. Taps over there," I point, "take her out and get Storm back."

Tap, the blonde-manicured-annoyance of my time with Magneto, was just standing there untouched. Mainly because she was also using Jean's powers to make everyone not notice her. My trick, so I could see through it. Once I pointed it out, Wolverine shouted to Gambit where to throw a card and Storm regains control of her elements.

Wolverine turns back to me suspiciously but I don't let him accuse me of anything yet. "They're after Cerebro."

"Fck." He flattens himself over me again to shield me from flying debris of another exploding card. "What's going on?" He demands, more than asks.

"Rocky's supose to get inthere and Electris hacks into Cerebro. Succubus keeps the telepaths from picking up Rocky."

Wolverine dras me up by my arm, the bitten one, I might as well add,a nd starts pulling me, bent over, towards the school. "Who's Rocky?"

"Turns into a rock," I explain loudly over the commotion, "He has no scent, that's why he gets sent in."

"How do ya know this?" He pulls me under him and ducks as a large branch flies over us. Undeterred, we continue.

"I was suppose to be his partner. We were safeguards for eachother. I could get past teleaths and he could get past noses. If Creed failed, eh could keep going and you'd catch me. If Succubus failed, I'd keep going."

We came to a stop and he looked me straight in the eye, "If this is a trap, yer dead."

I stared back at him. "It aint ta my knowledge."

For once, he takes my word for it and we head back in the direction of the school. Something catches my eye in the dark. He wasn't there a minute ago, I could have sworn. I snap at Wolverine, "Watch it." a second too late and Jason's stone fist crashes into Wolverine's skull. The blow would have brained any normal person. With the adimantium, it only knocked him out. Hopefully. That's all I needed was a brain damaged Wolverine who hated me...

Rocky turned toward my shocked face and rushed, "Let's go! I've got Electris in my head and it's driving me nuts!"

"What the HELL are you doing?!" I growl at him.

"I know we're a day early, but it was better opportunity with you out alone and all."

I stare at him, then squeak, "You were WATCHING ME?!"

Jason stares back. "Oh. Oh, crap. They must've brainwashed you. Eric said they might. I didn't think they could. Aw, crap." He touches his head piece and mutters into it, "Cougar's damaged." Listening for a minute, his mouth twitchs into a second frown, "Got it." He turns back to me, standing there dumbly. "You're with us Cougar, WE"RE your team. Enigma's coming to get you and bring you to Magneto--"

"You idiot!" I burst, "I left to get AWAY from that lunatic."

Jason shook his head, "You only think that--"

"I KNOW that. I'm not with you guys. I never was. Get the hell outta here!" I shoved him backwards toward the general direction of the boundry gate, "Go! Before Wolverine kills you." I could see an Asian girl, Enigma, coming through the trees and pushed Rocky again, pretty ineffectively.

"No, they screwed with you're head--" he says firmly, grabbing my wrist.

"NO they DIDN'T. I ChOSE this." I try to pull away and fail. What's with people grabbing me all the time? "Let Go."

Wolverine had apparently healed over this time because he growls from behind me, "Ya heard her, kid."

Jason's face hardens (no pun intended) and he releases me to lunge Creed-like at the other.

"Wait, knock it off!" I'm confused. I don't want Jason to get hurt, but I don't want him to get to Cerebro, cuz that'd probably be one of those bad things.

Enigma approaches me. "Come on," she urges, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. I knock it away and take a step toward the grappling figures. The woman sighs behind me and places her hand on my face.

Now I'm REALLY confused...I don't know who I am, or who the nice lady is...I don't like those loud guys fighting...and it's dark outside and a bunch of people are somewhere making noise and explosions.

"Come on," the nice lady says in a soothing voice, "You're safe with me."

Everything is confusing but her. Only she makes sense so I start to follow her. Something's wrong though, but I don't know what. But I don't really know anything. I turn towards the fighting men again and frown.

"Come on," she encourages me again.

"Something's wrong..." That's all I know. Something's wrong. And that the lady's touching me. I don't like to be touched, so I shove her hand off.

Everything snaps back into place. Enigma confuses people with her touch. Clever girl. UBt I don't like people screwing with me, so I slam my fist into her face before she gets to touch me again. She stays down.

Looking over to my immediate problem, I watch Wolverine impale Rocky without effect. When he's stone, he's all stone, practically invinsible. But the claws were slashing pretty fiercely and I know that Jason can't take constant abuse without it eventually forcing him back into flesh form. So I rush over there like an idiot. "Don't--" I grab one of Wolverine's slashing arms but he reflexivly swings it back, knocking me to the ground with a split lip. This suprised both of us, because the guys break apart long enough for him to whirl around to look at me. Unfortunately, it gives Jason a chance to kick the other in the turned back, sending him flying.

Wolverine turns over painfully and Jason rushes him. But I'm faster. Barely managing to slide between the two, I shield Logan's body with my own, practically lying ontop of him. "Jason, STOP!" His fist comes inches from my face, where Logan's just was and I shriek again," JASON!" I hate screaming, but it did the trick. The massive stone fist slams intothe ground, a hare's breath from my left temple. I am sandwitched between a rock and a metal skeleton, unable to breathe.

This close, I can see that he'd been in Rock form too long with too many blows. He's rapidly turning back to flesh. I hear a snikt noise from underneath me and let out a hiss as one of the adimantium claws slices my own side before sinking into Jason's stomach. His eyes go wide and my own stomach does a flip flop as I realize that he felt that very much.

The claws retract and Wolverine shoves us both off of him, then stumbles up to his feet on a nearly broken back. I huddle over Jason and pull back his shirt which had formerly been rock, along with the revealed flesh that was now slashed and producing blood.

"Crap." I start to panic. Jason tries to sit up to see but I know enough that I push him back to stop him, "Don't look." With my hands fluttering over the wound, unsure if I should apply pressure or not, I repeat my first assessment, "Crap, crap crap..." He makes a few pained noises and closes his eyes tightly, clenching his jaw. I hear Wolverine calling Beast over.

My friend is suddenloy snatched away from me. I get up to follow, but Wolverine puts a hand on my shoulder and says something, probably trying to be comforting. I lash out at him with my claws abruptly ripping through ihs uniform and chest. "You Moron! You...You..." words don't work, so I snarl at him and keep trying to rip up his flesh.

He just grits his teeth and catches my wrists, "Listen to me!" I glare up and he continues with a shake of emphasis, "He'll be o.k. Settle down."

Continueing to glower, I pull away and turn my back to him. After walking a few yards, I abruptly sit down indian style and hunch over to rest my elbosn on my knees. I bury my face in my hands. They have blood on them, but I don't know whose. Don't really care either, I guess.

Wolverine comes and kneels stiffly next to me and, placing a hand on my shoulder gently this time asks, "Ya gonna be ok?"

I jerk away, "Don't touch me." I feel like I'm gonna cry, but I'm kind of in shock, so I say instead, "This day really sucks."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Enough action? Hopefully. And long enough? It took me forever to type it out. So, i hope you enjoyed it and I'll start on the next one. Thanks! 


	13. Chapter 13

Review Replies:  
Wolf: Hey, the story's done, you know that. BUT your's ISN'T HINT HINT HINT! 

Psylocke: Heh, sorry. I just haven't updated the summary in a loooooong time. I'll do that now. And if you WERE to sue me, you wouldn't get much...well...I guess I have a coffee pot...but half of that is Wolf's and I'd have to kill you before I let you have my caffeine source maker. :D

AWWWW, only two reviews? Where's SoulMama?  
Quote: Sorry, it's a movie quote this time, from 'Live Free or Die Hard'

Thomas Gabriel, getting frustrated with John McClane: I can't talk to him, you talk to him. (holds a walkie talkie towards the tied up Lucy)

Lucy McClane: Daddy?

John McClane: Lucy baby?

Lucy McClane (glaring up at her captors): There's only five of them now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Chapter 13

Jason was the only one captured. Enigma apparently ran off, leaving her team mate injured on the battle field. She'd get hell from Magneto for that too. Good.

Wolverine made me go to the infirmary. There were a few 'battle ready' students and X-Men injured. No one's serious. Beast checked everyone up then gave me an ice pack for my Viper bite and another for my split lip. He asked me how I got the slash on my side and I reluctantly admitted that it was from Wolverine. Apparently the doctor gave my team leader a strict lecture on endangering students, which was what I was afraid of. After explaining how I knew Jason, he informed me that he was going to be fine and I might be able to see him in the morning, under X-Men supervision, of course.

I was made to stay in the MedLab, because I was still in shock, and told to go to sleep. The problem was that I couldn't fall asleep. I kept thinking that I heard Creed, coming to get me...

I get up for the fifth time and quietly pace the room. It's 3:16 AM. The only other people here are Beast at his desk doing some paper work and two older students who were allowed to join the fight. They're still sleeping.

"Is there a specific reason why you're still awake, my dear?" Beast doesn't look up from the desk.

"Yea."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Nope." We're talking quietly so not to wake the others.

"Well, you've been through a traumatic experience. Would you like some mild tranquilizers to help you sleep?"

"No." I say too quickly, receiving an odd look. Creed once hit me with a tranquilizer gun. He said it'd make me appreciate my abilities. It sucked, but worked. He also had this stupid idea that I could take the pills all the time and become immune. I had to remind him that without a healing factor like his, I'd develop an addiction. His response? "So?". What an idiot. "I'll go back to bed," I say instead, then get annoyed with myself for announcing it. I get up again at 3:56. Beast doesn't notice me for maybe 10 minutes or so.

"Perhaps you should take the tranquilizers. You really do need to get some rest."

I stop my barefoot pacing, "Am I buggin' ya?"

"Oh, no, dear. But you look exhausted." He gives me a sideways look, "As if you're keeping yourself awake?"

I start walking again and don't answer.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He swivels his chair slowly, following my circular pacing around the room. It's kind of a big room.

"Not really." I know he's trying to help, but so far my past adventures have done nothing but cause trouble for me. And opening my big mouth isn't the best idea either.

"In that case," he opens up one of his desk drawers and takes out a little pill bottle, "I'm Telling you to take two of these." Popping off the top, he pours out two white pills, holding them out to me. He says gently, "Doctor's orders."

I open my mouth to argue, but sigh instead. I take the pills from his hand obediently and ask, "Water?"

Dr. McCoy points toward a water cooler in the corner. I knew it was there cuz I've walked past it dozens of times tonight...morning...whenever. I didn't really need the water. After getting a disposable cup and filling it, I toss the pills in my mouth and quickly move them under my tongue. I gulp the water and toss the cup.

Beast smiles at me, "Thank you, now off to bed," and turns back to his papers.

When I get back to my bed, I glance over my shoulder to make sure he's not watching, then spit them out. No where else to put them, I slip them between the mattresses.

"Cougar." Wolverine's voice suddenly behind me makes me spin around, eyes wide and all that.

"Stop doing that." I snap, still quietly.

"What?" He's being a smart a--ahem...yea.

"Lurking up on me." I'm glaring at him, then glance up at the dimmed florescent lights. (A/N: This one's for you Wolf). "How the heck do you lurk under freaking florescent lights?"

He ignores the question and looks over to Beast, "Can I talk ta her for a minute?"

"You're lucky she's still awake," McCoy answers, then nods, "But make it quick, she needs some rest."

"Hallway," Wolverine grunts. Once we're out of the room, he gives me his usual friendly scowl, "What was that?"

"What?" Seriously, before the heart attack he gave me, it's all one big blur.

"What ya stuck under the mattress." More glares.

"Tranq's. What happened to Creed?" I change the subject.

"What's it matter?" he snorts.

"Cuz he was CHASING ME, if ya forgot and I don't want him doin' it again. So what happened?" Now I get to scowl up at him.

"Don't worry 'bout it." I can't believe he just shrugs off Creed killing me. What a jerk!

I sigh, completely annoyed. "Well, what do ya want?"

"Everything you know. What was the main plan. Who was involved. What was the goal."

"Well, I don't know that much."

Logan sneers, "That's what yer stone guy said too, still sayin it."

"What did you do ta him?" I snap, surprising myself with my anger, "If you hurt him--"

"Settle down," Wolverine gives me a scowl to beat all scowls. "He aint talkin', so Cyclops wants YOU ta try ta get something out," he snorts at the idea. Such faith.

"Fine," I rub at my eyes cuz they're getting blurry.

"Why aint ya sleepin'?" I see that he's studying me when I remove my hands from my burning eyes.

"Not tired..." Wow. As it comes out of my mouth, even I know how bad of a lie that is.

So does Wolverine, who only narrows his eyes at me. I remain silent then he says, "Alright. We'll just have ta tell Hank ta give ya some more pills."

Defiant me, "I won't take 'em."

"I can make ya," he crosses his arms over his chest, which really is a feat taking their size into account.

Stupid me, "I'll just go throw them up. And don't think I can't." Why the heck am I still talking? Sometimes I hate myself.

"Then we'll just have ta give ya an injection," he moves toward the door.

"No." I say just a tad bit forcefully. Did I ever mention that I'm, like, VERY much freaked out by needles? Added onto my fairly new fear of tranquilizers equals me very panicky. I grab at his arm. Yea., like I could stop him; his freakin' bicep muscle _alone_ is the size of my neck. He easily brushes me off. I'm so panicky. I had like two huge adrenalin rushes today, one ending in a feral rage and the other in shock, I'm friggin exhausted but paranoid that Creed's coming after me through the air vents or something and my supposed mentor is trying to shoot me up. What's a girl to do? Well, I don't know about you, but I dart out of there like a greased pig. Ever seen a greased pig, by the way? They don't go all that fast, really, and neither do I.

Wolverine's arm whips out and catches me around the waist. He barely had to take two steps, for crying out loud! I should really stop trying. But I don't so I twist away, kinda, but by that time, his other hand is firmly planted on my shoulder, "Settle down. Settle down," he has to repeat himself with more force. "Jesus, Kid, anyone ever tell ya yer jumpier than a friggin' jackrabbit?"

"Not lately..." adrenalin is gone, so I'm just standing there dumbly, looking up at him.

"I was joking," another dumb look from me, so he elaborates, "about the injection."

"But...you don't joke...you scowl." Maybe I'm asleep, cuz in dreams you say stupid things, right?

He laughs, so I bite the inside of my lip, making it bleed with my sharp teeth. Yup, it hurt, so I'm not dreaming.

"Why won't ya go ta sleep?" back to the topic at hand, which, really, I had forgotten about. His hand drops from my shoulder.

"Umm...I don't wanna." Yes, I know that I sound like a pouty little kid. I'm also avoiding eye contact very well.

A sigh. "Figured that, but why?"

I shrug.

"If ya think this is gonna excuse ya from my classes, yer wrong. Yer no good ta yer team if yer half dead on yer feet. Ya can't hardly stand now." He gives my shoulder a poke and I stumble back.

Real smooth, "Ow, knock it off," I frown at the tone of my voice, like how I talked to my little sister. '_like they even want me back,_' I think bitterly, rubbing the spot.

He seems to find this amusing because he smirks at me.

I shrug, stifle a yawn then ask to direct the attention from my tiredness, "So how much trouble am I in?"

"Don't know yet," he's looking through the medlab door.

I grimace, "That's a bad sign, aint it?"

A glance at me, then, "There's things we got ta take in ta account."

"Like?"

His eyes narrow at me, "Like, I told ya not ta get inta another fight, you get inta two. I told ya not ta leave the clearing, ya did. I told ya ta be back BEFORE dark, ya didn't. Three strikes kid. Ya knew the enemies goal. Ya got in my way. Ya got yerself hurt. Three more." He holds up a hand to stop my protests, "But ya told me what was going on and ya tried ta help, so that cuts ya some slack. Basically, yer on probation for now."

"Ya couldn't have just told me that and spared me the lecture?" _Shut up shut up shut up! I hate myself sometimes..._

Wolverine raises an eyebrow, then orders, "Go ta sleep."

He sees me to my bed and goes and talks in hushed tones with Mr. McCoy, probably about me. I don't care, I'm not going to sleep. I start singing in my head, "Paranoia! Paranoia! Sabertooth is coming to GET ME!" Am I cracking up? No. I'm starting to fall asleep. Mechanically, I get out of the bed and continue my counterclockwise pacing.

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Only a few more chapters left...


	14. Chapter 14

Review Replies:  
Soul Mama: What did I do to make you like Beast? I don't understand the OC thing?, but Thanks for the reply. Summer jobs suck, which is mostly why its takin so long to get this whole story posted... :D 

Psylock: Well, here's your meeting. Hope its not dissapointing. And yes, I would kill anyone who came between me and my caffiene...seriously...kill them dead...

Wolfy: I tried to help you with yours but its YOUR story. let it nag YOU and not ME.

Candy: WOOT! A NEW REVIEWER FAN! And what a Good review, you're gonna give me an ego problem...:)

AllenTerrill: ANOTHER WOOT! Thanks for your review, and I'm glad your enjoying it!

Quote: "To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it -- who can say this is not greatness?"

--William Thackeray

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Oh, Joy. My classmates have an all new reason to hate me. Most of them don't realize I'm near them when they talk about me. Mostly its talk about assasinations, traitors, Magneto, slave holders and last night's attack. Rumor has it I planned it as Magneto's Protege.The more radical rumors were that after invading the school, I was planning on selling any captives to Blackstone.

My teammates completely shut me out. Joseph actually goes out of his way to trip me up or insult me. Wolverine cuts out practice short, making us run the last twenty minutes cuz of all the crap going on.

Instead of going to lunch, like my stomach is demanding, I get an almond snickers at the candy machine and take a nap for the hour. My room mate leaves when I come in the room but she annoys me anyway. Screw her.

I pass out before my head hits the pillow...

My alarm clock wakes me up ten minutes before my first afternoon class. I've only been to like, two classes. I don't know why I even bother, except to spite the people who don't want me there. I know that they don't want me there because in every one of my classes, my desk is missing. Since there's no extras, I sit on the floor. I'm not picky; I lived in a cave for quite some time, back in the day. Maybe I miss the solitude of that life, because sometime during Mr.McCoy's lecture, I decide that I'll leave. Why not? Nothing keeping me here.

Cyclops pulls me out of Math Class and asks me if I'll talk to Jason. Yea, like I have a say in the matter. But it got me out of math, so I'm not in such a grumpy mood.

I sigh when I enter the interrogation room, though. It's utterly depressing. Four metal walls, an automatic door with a hand scanner, two metal chairs on either side of a metal table. Jason's arms are cuffed to the arms of one of the chairs, he's glaring daggers at Wolverine, who's scowling back from one of the corners.

"Have a seat, Cougar," Mr. Summers motions to the remaining chair, which I take, slouching down in it to get comfy. It doesn't work, but it's worth a try.

"Hey, Jason," I don't bother with formalities or anything.

"Cougar," he responds coldly. I'm not sure if its because he's mad at me for ruining his little mission or because he wants to act macho around the X-Men. Boys and their egos.

"You ok?"

"I'll survive."

Ok, fine, I'll just jump right in, "What were ya doin' last night?"

He gives me an odd look, "I know they didn't really brain wash you."

"No." I've no clue where he's going with this.

"Well, your cover's blown then I'll assume. You were right, Magneto's plan didn't work. Satisfied?"

I knit my brows, "What cover?"

Jason's glare flashes back to Wolverine and he sneers, "It's a shame that we had to be caught by him of all people."

"What 'we'?" I frown deeper, "Who else was caught?"

He turns back to me, "Drop the act all right? They know. They questioned me while I was still out from the drugs. They know about the mission to kill Xavier and you being planted here. I told you that you should have been caught by someone besides Wolverine. Jean, maybe. You could have gotten that knife past her to kill Xavier."

"What are you talking about?" My sleep deprived brain tries to connect the dots.

"I told them about _you_." There's a look in his eyes and the dots connect.

"Why you little--" I jump over the table and hold his throat in my claws before I realize it. Both Cyclops and Wolverine grab my arms and force me back into my chair. Keeping me there is the latter's death grip on my shoulder. I yank it out and he lets me, but replaces his hold immediately after.

"That's enough," Cyclops snaps. He moves to the head of the table and places his hands on either side, leaning in on it. He looks between the two of us and directs his question to me, "How much of what he said is true?"

"None of it! They were going after Cerebro!"

"Cerebro?" Rocky's eyes widen slightly, "Come on, Cougar, Magneto knows it's impossible to get to that machine. He wouldn't send a bunch of kids after it." I see that glint again. He's enjoying this.

I growl and try to lunge again, "You slimey lil' worm." I'm slammed back into the chair.

Cyclops clears his throat sternly, "He's been telling the same story."

"Well, that just shows how much YOU know. Cuz HE knows this if he DID blab out a mission to the enemy, Magneto would kill him." I try hard not to roll my eyes at his obvious stupidity.

"And YOU know this because you trained with him under Magneto, correct?"

Uh-oh, bad road to take. "Well, yea, but I left cuz he's a frickin' psycho." I'm now yelling. That's not good, but in my defense, these guys are horrible to deal with. Five minutes with any X-Man and a monk would lose patients.

"How can you say that!" Jason cuts off anything that Cyclops might have responded with, "He saved your life!"

With growing anger, I snarl back,"I didn't _need_ ta be saved ya sack o' dirt!" Be happy that I didn't try to kill the little puke again, but Wolverine's ever-tightening grip on my shoulder keeps me in check.

"Enough!" Cyclops voice booms in the small room, making me jump. "Now, I want answers," he says stoically, "Rocky, what was your mission and I suggest that you talk because if I know Eric, he won't have any use for you if you get yourself captured."

He receives a glare and a curt, "Well you DON'T know Eric, now do you?"

"Just shut up and tell him, Jason," I growl, "And I mean the truth this time."

"Or what?" he sneers.

I open my mouth, close it and tilt my head up towards Wolverine, "Can I have a few moments alone with him?" I ask, sweet as a pie, or whatever that saying is.

"No." Cyclops answers immediately. Stick in the mud.

To my surprise, though, the other X-Man disagrees, "Actually, maybe they do need some time ta catch up." He glances at Summers who raises an eyebrow.

"Five minutes." He heads towards the door.

Wolverine follows, adding over his shoulder, "Don't kill 'im."

I watch them leave, then turn back to my former teammate with what I hope is a very creepy fanged smile. He doesn't look happy with his position. Goody. My smile drops and I snarl, "What the hell do ya think yer doin'?"

He glowers back, "I should ask you the same thing. Fxcking joining the enemy now? Didn't pick you out to play the traitorous bxtch after all that loyalty crap you lectured me about."

Ouch. "Ya know, I'm hearin' that alot these days." Defense mechanism: Respond with cool indifference. "What did ya expect me ta do? Stay with Magneto? I'd rather keep my soul, thanks."

Jason yelled with outrage,"He's a visionary!"

"He's a lunatic!" I shout back.

We sit in heated silence for maybe ten seconds, glaring daggers at eachother.

"Ya know," I lean back in my hard, metal chair, "I got the impression that they wanted me ta talk ta ya as a friend. Get you ta confess or whatever."

"What good would that do?" Again he sneers at me.

"Might get ya off the hook some."

"They won't kill me, it's against their rules. It's what makes them weak."

"It's what makes them honorable. 'Sides, they'll prolly just send ya ta prison for breaking and entering, assault. Whatever." I try not to let on how depressed this whole talk is making me.

Haughtily, he corrects me, "A prison can't hold me."

Apparently he never paid attention to the judicial side for mutants. "It won't be a normal prison, Jason. You know that." I don't meet his eyes, for once. He is facing either solitary confinement in a cell built to be immune to his powers, or a maximum security prison wearing a power eliminating collar, identifying him as a 'dirty mutie'.

"You wouldn't let them do that to me."

When I glance up, his eyes aren't so sure of my intentions. "Can't stop them Jason. Yer not cooperating. Ya tried ta kill people; broke inta their school, a safe place for these kids." I shake my head.

"Eric will get me out," he fishes for hope.

"Ya sure about that?" I inspect my finger nails. There's still blood in them, even after I'd scrubbed my hands raw this morning. Dang.

When he doesn't respond, I look up to see him glaring at me, "Get out."

Rolling my eyes, I reply off-handedly, "I'm kinda stuck here with you. Maybe as another prisoner after that stunt you pulled."

The door swooshes open and I can tell by the look of disgust on Jason's face that it's Wolverine.

"Go ta class Cougar."

I get a look of betrayal from Rocky. Or maybe I'm just feeling guilty. Hmm...I shake my head as I walk out on him. Nothing I can do, and if I tried to help, Wolverine would probably do the exact opposite of what I want to spite me. Life sucks. Still.

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Short, yes, I know. But I THINK only 2 chapters left. WOOT!


	15. Chapter 15

Review Replies: 

allenterrill: Yes, ferals are VERY awesome nods

Wolf: You're mean. Have pity on Jason, he was just brain washed. Jeeze...meanie...Gosh, you're so mean...mean mean wolfy...lol

Psylocke: Thanks, lol. just out of curiousity, what's your number one favorite candy?

Quote: The world is round. It has no point. --Unknown.

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Chapter 15

I hate mornings. I ever tell you that? Hate 'em with a passion. People always write about how the sun comes and chases away the darkness and brings cheer and life. Bull. The darkness brought peace and quiet. My thoughts anyway. It's around 5:30 in the bloody morning, my thoughts aren't exactly the clearest.

I've been walking for awhile. It really wasn't all that difficult to sneak out, keeping in mind that I snuck **in** to begin with. My stomache growls and I scowl back; like that will help. I'd wanted to sneakdown to the ktchen to get some food, but I wasn't too sure that I wouldn't get caught, so I'd just went out the window in my room. Room mate would be happy. I left through the front gate because I knew for a fact that it had less security than the back. Makes sense, what bad guy would buzz in at the gate? I had to scale that gate, by the way. Almost killed myself going over the top. You know, the shcool is full of kids that are just learning to fly; so what do they do? Put spikes on top of their gates. It ripped my jeans and left a gash above the inside of my knee, which kinda stings now, but it didn't bleed much.

I should have waited till the sun was up more, I might have noticed that it was cloudy. Either way, it started drizzling fifteen minutes ago and it's down to a pretty steady rain. This would be called a 'pour' back home in the semi arid part of the country. Maybe I'll go back home. I miss my dog. Oh, and my family...

A red sports car zips past me going well over the speed limit and splashes water all over me. 'Jerk.' Is one of the NICE names I call him. There's really no shoulder on this road, so its not like I can move over, unless I want to be walking in the water filled ditch. Of course, by this time, it really wouldn't make much difference. I pull my sweatshirt's hood over my head after it falls back for the millionth time because I lost the strings on it. Fumbling for it, I don't notice the black jeep coming behind me, so I can't get out of the way when it shoots past me and splashes me again. "Slow Down $$hole!" I yell at them. My lousy luck, the break lights flash and the driver backs up. I see now that his window is rolled half way down. What freak dirves through the rain with his window open? I had to ask...

Wolverine pulls up beside me.

I don't look at him, just concentrate on my soaked feet, sqelching along the pavement.

"Last I checked, ya were on probation fer fightin'. That means yer not supposed ta leave school grounds."

I choose not to comment on his stupididty and instead say, "Ya know, yer holdin' up traffic," and indicate a minivan which passes him with an angry honk.

"What're ya doin?"

I actually growl at him, then say with an equally ferocious glare, "What the hell's it look like I'm doin'? Learnin' ta square dance!" Sarcasm is so easy in the wee hours of the morning.

He grunts at me, then studies the sky, still driving next to me at three miles per hour. "Ya know it's raining."

"How could ya tell?" I snap. Another car honks past us.

He still doesn't respond to my snide remarks. "Get in. I know a diner a couple miles down the road that's open."

"No." My shoes are soaked; I have every right to be ornary.

"Got good food," he continues.

"Don't care."

"When's the last time ya ate, kid?" He's still annoyingly pleasant. Well, pleasant for him.

"Why do _you_ care?" The rain picks up and I scowl up at the clouds. Some guy yells obseneties while swerving around Wolverine.

"'Cuz yer one of _my_ students and not worth shxt if yer malnutritioned. Now get in."

"No." My voice is louder this time.

"Why the hell not?" so is his.

"Just go away!" I yell at him.

Just a little less calm this time, he orders, "Three options kid. Get in. Get PUT in. Or I call up the mansion and ya have ta have therapy with Jean and the Professor about yer runnin away and eatin' disorder."

"I don't have an eatin' disorder. Anyway, its not YOUR problem cuz I'm NOT your student anymore. So go away." I repeat. A fourth driver lays on her horn and screeches around us, some old lady. People are so pleasant in cities...

"This is stupid." Wolverine slams on the breaks, sticks it in neutral and gets out of the jeep. "Get in."

I stop walking and turn around to face him. He's got a look in his eyes that I don't like. I glance at the half filled ditch to my right. I'm pretty good at jumping ditches...

"Try it, I chase ya."

Turning back to him, I scowl. "Ya know, I hate you." Sighing, I head toward the vehicle. He doesn't get in his side until he sees me seatbelted in myself.

"Yer suppose ta hate yer teaches."

"Yer not my teacher anymore." I cross my arms and sulk about the whole thing. On the plus side, I'm getting his seat wet--HA.

Wisely, he chooses not to retort, and instead rolls up the windows and turns on the heaters. I sniff and wipe my some rainwater off my face with my sleeve, which is also wet.

After a few minutes drive, we pull into a gravel parking lot. Even at this time in the morning, there's a few vehicles in the lot. I didn't think that city people got up with the chickens. 'Janet's Cafe' is painted on the front. How quaint.

The door jingles when we come in and I'm led to a booth in the corner and told to 'sit', which I do but only because I'm tired. We're hardly in our seats before a blonde with a pony tail and a chipper attitude gives us our menus. She annoys me instantly.

"Hey, Mr. Logan. You've got company this morning, I see." Big smile.

"This is Cougar," he introduces me, "Cougar, Amanda."

She hands me a menu with a bright smile. She has big teeth. Out of politeness, I return a much weaker version of the smile. This seems to encourage her. "So," she addresses 'Mr. Logan', "New student or runaway?"

"Both," he studies the menu, "She's one of mine."

"Well, I'd run away too," she grins and winks at me. I've never seen anyone wink. Well, I guess the old farmers at the grocery store when they were flirting with the checkers. I didn't think that people winked now days. "But really," she continues, "he's not THAT bad. My roommate was one of his two years ago, and she's still alive and well. Give the school a chance." Even bigger smile.

Before I can visibly roll my eyes at the walking Xavier's School advertisement, Wolverine asks,"How is Lacy?" since when is HE conversational anyway?

"Made Dean's list last semester." Another beaming smile.I wonder if her face hurts at the end of the day...mine would...

"That's good. I'll have the usual. Kid?" ok, so he's not THAT conversational.

"Coffee." I get a look from him so I add, "Please?"

He frowns at me, not actually his usual scowl. "Bring her the same, she aint been eatin' right fer awhile."

"My eating habits are fine." I'm ignored.

"Got it. I'll bring out your coffee in just a minute." She smiles again and bounces off cheerily.

"Nice girl, Manda," he nods towards the waitress, who's refilling some one's coffee. "Went ta the school fer three years; graduated; workin her way through college now."

"She smiles too much." I reply.

"That's not my point."

I roll my eyes. "Yea, yea, yea. I KNOW your point. I'm suppose ta go ta school, and be chipper, and become a valued member of a society that hates mutants."

"Where ya plannin on going?" Whoa, sudden change of topic.

Afer blinking a couple times from said sudden change, I answer, "Maybe home. Then down ta New Orleans, just cuz I've always wanted to go there. Then find a way ta Ireland, cuz I've wanted ta go there too, maybe even Japan since I'll be on that side of the ocean."

"Sounds like a pretty shaky plan. Mind if we have a talk first?"

I let out a snort, "We? You'll talk," then shake my head, "not me." I know that I'm being annoying, but I don't care.

"To you," hey, so is he.

I smirk, "At me."

Smiling Amanda comes and gives us our coffee. Sensing that we're in some deep conversation, which we're not, she quickly bustles away.

"Fine," Wolverine picks up his cup and sips some, "Why ya runnin'?"

I shrug, "Why not?" I dump a packet of sugar in the coffee and two packets of cream.

"Cuz it's a good school and one of the only ones that accepts mutants."

I shrug again and take a sip of my brew. I love coffee...

"I gave ta two reasons ta stay. Give me two ta leave.

Actually, I think about it for a moment, putting in another half packet of cream. "Blackstone and Magneto."

"What've they gotta do with you?"

"Don't be stupid," I snap, surprising both of us. Calmer, I add, "No one trusts a Magneto lackey or someone that helps slavers. And for the record, that wasn't me in that last shot." I study my coffee.

"No, it wasn't."

Well, he sure surprised me. I looked back up at him, eyebrows raised, "How'd ya know?"

"Never seen ya smile like that. Ya try ta hide yer teeth. And ya don't seem like the kinda person who'd smile at slavery."

"Perceptive."

"Besides, from what I hear, Ya weren't voluntarily part of either of 'em. It's in the past; let it go."

"Yea, right." I briefly glance at him to add, "Like with you and SHIELD?" My eyes drop back to my cup.

"That's different." His tone raises my hackles.

Eyes back up, "Yea, it is. But its the same principle. If people know that you were a trained killing machine, they won't forget it. And if they don't forget it, they'll never trust you. And even if ya really earned their trust, they won't openly give it." I shrug, hating deep thinking outloud. "Unless, of course, ya die earning it, but that's not an option for me cuz with my luck I wouldn't come back." By this time, he's studying me.

"Perceptive." Is all he says.

I shift and take a long drink. "So, now that we've shared our version of a Hallmark moment, lemme ask ya this. Why'd ya bother coming after me?"

"Yer a student," he takes his own drink.

"So? I know ya don't particularly like me. Ya coulda just said that ya couldn't pick up my scent through the rain."

"I couldn't. Picked up the blood on the gate and not much else. Just heard ya yell at me."

"Me'n my stupid mouth." My coffee is gone, so I stare at the bottom of the cup.

"How do ya know that I don't like ya?"

I snort,"Because I'm not retarded. Maybe..." I smirk a little, "It's cuz ya just can't trust a Magneto lackey?"

He leans back and studies me through slightly narrowed eyes. I lean back and put one foot up on my side of the bench, resting my arm on my upraised knee and my chin ontop of that; I peer back. I didn't know that he had blue eyes. Like the color of my friend, wolf's. Makes me a little home sick.

Amanda comes with the food. scrambled eggs, a slab of ham, two slices of bacon and some buttered toast. It's a heart attack waiting to happen and it makes my mouth water. She also refills my coffee, bless her. Ok, yea, so I'm a caffein junky. We both dig into our food; admittedly, I was hungry, but in my defense I was going to steal some food when I got to a good store.

Then something occures to me, "oh, James." Dangit, mind blank.

"What?"

"James something...like a wolf...claws?...teath...tail? No..." Dangit, can't remember.

"What're ya talkin' about?" he puts down his fork and gives me a look like I've lost it. Not too far off.

"Quiet, I'm thinking...Was it James? Yea like Dean...Howl..That was it! James Howlette." I beam.

"What?" He's giving me a look between confusion and recognition, a good sign. "What did you say?"

"I once read your file and Creed put in it that James Howlette was your real name." I nod.

"What do you mean 'real name'?" He sounds angry, not a good thing.

"That's what it said. And you should know your name; not that there's anything wrong with Logan." I go back to eating because his eyes make me nervous.

"Ya knew my real name but didn't tell me till now?"

"I forgot it," I answer truthfully," And I didn't wanna be wrong. Plus, the source was Creed, so I'm not completely sure of the accuracy."

He frowned, "Wait, he has a file on me?"

"No. Magneto does, but he got most of the info from Creed. Some form SHIELD or where ever."

He swore quite colorfully then looked down in thought. Poor guy, not used to being caught off guard.

I shrug, "I figgured ya'd wanna know before I go."

With a sharp look, he corrects, "Ya aint goin' no where cept back ta the school, kid."

Well, I snuck that in there well..."I don't want to." I cross my arms across my stomach, "So I don't have ta."

"It's not that simple," He's staring at me.

"Why not?" Something's making my hackles raise

"Cuz Creed's in the parking lot."

My lips are suddenly dry and my now full stomach drops. My eyes are darting out the window and I'm standing up before I realize it.

"Sit down," he orders so sharply that I obey without second thought. Though my eyes continue to snap across the diner looking for escape routes. He slides his keys toward me and says perfectly calm, "There's a window in the girls bathroom. Get in my jeep. If I'm not out in three minutes, leave. Get the X-Men." Still calmly, he takes out his wallet and pays for our food. He doesn't look up from the bills as he says, "He's almost at the door. Get going."

I attempt to get up casually, but I know that I'm practically running to the bathroom. I hear trhe bell on the door jingle just as I close and lock the bathroom door. The window's small, and I barely fit through it, chanting "Crap, crap, crap, I'm gonna die, Crap, crap, crap," all the while. There's the sound of crashing through the door and something heavy slams into the other side of the wall just as I lower myslef to the wet ground. Its still raining.

A quick glance around the parking lot leads me to believe Sabertooth came alone, but I check the jeep just to be sure. He locked the doors and I fumble with the keys; no one locks doors back home, dangit...I get in and start it up. It's a stick shift, and I'm not too familiar with them, but I remember the main principles. I start to count, deciding that I already wasted one minute. "One-mississippi, two-mississippi, three-mississippi." Two minutes go by and I shakily back the vehicle up. I'm barely crawling past the cafe door, waiting cuz I'd hate to leave even Wolverine alone with Sabertooth. I don't have to wait long. He comes crashing through the glass doors and rolls to a stop infront of the jeep. Yay for me, I remembered to put int he clutch before slamming on the breaks!

He opens the door and barks at me, "GO!" I peel out, spewing gravel at the already advancing Creed.

"Jesus," Wolverine grabs at the door to steady himself.

"That's why you should wear your seatbelt," I attempt humor, secretly glad that I already had my belt on.

"The school's the other way," he still doesn't put his on.

"Well, I panicked. Side's there's class today. You really wanna lead him right ta all them kids?"

"Fine," he grunts and takes his cell phone out of his jean pockets.

I'm not listening to his conversation though because my attention is on the guy on the motorcycle coming up behind us very quickly. "Uhmm...Oh, what do I do?" I smack him in the arm when it looks like he's not listening, "HEY!"

"What?" He glances in his mirror, "Go faster."

"Ingenious!" I cry sarcastically and shift into a higher gear. "Got any more bright idea's Einstein?"

"Turn left on the next gravel road."

"Buckle up," I snap as the road comes up.

"This one," he points. "Slow down." I keep my speed at 70 miles per hour as he yells again, "SLOW DOWN!"

"SEAT BELT!" I hollar back. Creed's right behind me. I'm still going 70 and the turn off is maybe two hundred meters away...one hundred...I put in the clutch and stick it in neutral. The breaks squeal in protest as I slam my foot on their pedal and the unsuspecting Creed rear ends us, causing him much more harm than us. I jerk the wheel to the left and barely make the turn, with a little fish tailing. Creed continues to skid on the pavement.

"FxCK! What the Hell Was THAT!?" Wolverine's giving me a wierd look. Can't fool me though; he thought it was fun. "Ya tryin' ta get in a wreck kid?" he continues to yell at me.

"Stop yellin'," I yell back, but I'm grinning, even showing off my teeth, "If ya think THAT was bad, try it in rear wheel drive on a snowy gravel road with my BROTHER drivin'" I put the jeep into a proper gear and continue at a decent pace, "Where'm I goin'?"

"Keep ta this road, it'll lead ta the school."

Great. "Ya know," I can't help but point out, "YOU said not ta worry about him."

"Well, I didn't think he was goin' after you personally. What's he want?"

I look over at him and shake my head,"I don't know, he's nuts."

"Yea, well he's also behind us again, so give it some gas."

I take a look back in the mirror and sure enough, he's there. "Aw, crap. Can't people just leave me alone?"

"Nope, yer popular today, kid," he's looking around for something, his cell phone, which is on the floor.

"Shut up," I growl, "This is all your fault anyway."

His eyebrows raise at my statement, "How do ya figure?"

"I don't know, it just is. I'll think of a reason later." I wave him off, "Uh-oh, he's getting really close now, what do I do?" I look over to see him on his cell phone AGAIN. "Hello?!"

"Hold on," Wolverine turns to me and snaps, "Watch it!"

It? I'm going very much over the speed limit on muddy gravel, in the rain, being chased by a psychopath. What exactly should I be watching? My answer: The psychopath who busts through my window. I scream (which is seriously damaging to my non-girly reputation, but I'm big enough to admit to you, however, if you repeat, I'll deny...then hurt you.) Wolverine cusses and Creed sneers at the both of us. Both men grab at the wheel. I hit the breaks instinctively. In the movies, it would have worked, but instead Sabertooth just ditches his bike and clings to the side of the jeep. Wolverin gets control of the steering wheel and we veer sharply to the right. I can't concentrate on the fight AND manual transmission, so I focus on the latter, speeding up again to 45 so the doesn't ruin the engine or whatever. Wolverine stabs the other around me who then swipes at my passenger. This is SO not safe.

As if God was accenuating my point, Creed gives the wheel a fierce jerk and we go crashing into the ditch. The jeep rolls. I don't know how many times. I just wake up hanging upside down by my seat belt. It's kind of hard to breath, kind of hurts, but I don't think it's anything serious. Creed broke a rib of mine once. Got hell for it and I was fixed up quick by a healer girl. I don't think this time hurts as bad. My right arm isn't working right, though, and it seems to take forever to unbuckle my seatbelt. I fall, quite painfully, onto the torn roof of the jeep. It takes me awhile, but I manage to crawl through the shattered driver's window. There's glass everywhere and it stinks like gas and oil, so I figure that its a good idea to move away from the vehicle.

I wipe at my eyes because something is dripping in them. It turns out to be blood, my face is cut up, along with my hands. Luckily (funny word coming from me with out the prefix 'bad') my sweatshirt kept my arms relatively safe.

Wolverine and Sabertooth are duking it out a few yards away. They're both exchanging blows and a wordy conversation. Not like I have anything better to do than to eaves drop, right?

"Let's face it, Runt," Creed explains while hurling the other into a tree, "We're gettin' old. We can't keep fightin' forever."

"Ya tellin' me ya need me ta find ya a nursin' home?" Wolverine retorts, bouncing off the tree and slamming both sets of claws into Creed's chest.

He snarls and pulls away,continueing, "Neither o' us would make father of the year, so we gotta improvise. You got your lil' Firecracker--"

A deep growl,"Leave Jubes outta this," and Logan pins Creed to the ground. They roll together, trying to tear out eachothers throats.

"As I was sayin', Runt, I had ta get a pupil of my own. They could carry on our lil' feud when we're gone." He ends up on top, tearing out the other's stomach, quite literally. Kinda Ewww.

"When YOUR gone, ya mean," Logan kicks him over his head and rolls back, holding his own intestines back in, he pauses to catch his breath.

He continues as if nothing were said, "Yers has spunk, the more active power, but I figure claws and feral rages outweigh that. She's gota work on her martial arts some, though ta catch up."

"And what about the fact that the kid hates YOU an' not ME?"

"Got some good brain washing methods ta take care o' that." They lunge toward eachother again.

Whoa. Is he talking about me? GROSS! Living in Creed's shadow was NOT my intended career choice. My disgust with the whole thing is interrupted by a blast of Cyclop's visor.

The X-Men rush in heroically...OK, so it was Cyclops and Rogue. You don't need the whole team for one bad guy. Even if it is Sabertooth.

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YAY! R&R. ONE CHAPTER LEFT. I'm hoping to hear from some of my older reviewers, TruestTears, perhaps? Where'd you wander off to? If not, no biggy, I'm just happy ta get this thing posted. Look forward to the next EXCITING chapter...Kinda exciting anyway, its hard to beat sneaking out, running away, dealing with happyness at six in the morning, high speed chases and creepy psychos.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 

Review Replies: BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE

SoulMama: Sadly, yes. This is the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed it bunches.

allenterrill: I don't know if I'll use her again or not, maybe a sequel, but I can't imagine putting here anywhere else and starting from scratch again.

J.W.L.: Thanks. Good.

Psylocke: XX hands you some tissues XX Sorry. And yea, I'll maybe think up a sequal during college boredom days. Can't promise anything cuz i'm also working on a couple novel-like books too. I'm glad you enjoyed all of this and thanks lots for the reviews. Oh, and I like anything chocolate... mmm...chocolate...

Wolfy-poo: HI! Sabertooth can't die, it would cause chaos in the Marvel Universe...or something. And you can rush in heroically to save me in YOU FIC!!. Oh, and if you call me 'cal' again XXBares her fangs and growlsXX I will rip out your intestines and strangle you with them...XXnods all chipper againXX

Quote:If carrots are so good for your eyesight, how come I see so many dead rabbits on the highway? --Richard Jeni

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Apparently, there was some big fight. I wouldn't know cuz Cyclops shot at Creed and I happened to be in the line of fire. In his defense, he didn't notice me...I assume... But I woke up in the medlab about an hour ago. I'm not to leave, and should try to sleep. No one's told me exactly what happened to Creed, so I'm gonna be stubborn and NOT sleep till they DO tell me. Besides, I was out for about 12 hours and not all that tired now. My forearm is in a cast. Kinda hurts, but they had some kinda painkiller running through my IV. I took that out by the way, (I don't like needles) and got chewed out for it by some nurse lady. I also apparently have bruised ribs. Wolverine and his stupid metal skeleton slammed into me when we rolled, its why my arms broke too, I know. Wouldn't have happened if he'd worn his seatbelt.

I sigh and look around the room for the millionth time. I'm making a valid attempt to play solitaire with only one functioning arm. Gambit had come in looking for some one else, and I'd forced him to lend me a pack of cards. I glance at the doorway to see Wolverine scanning the room. My trying to go unnoticed fails. I don't wanna talk to him.

"Hey, kid."

"Mmm." I continue my game, not looking up again.

"How ya feelin'?"

"Crappy." I resist the urge to sneer at him. Instead I ask, "What about Creed?"

"We got a telepath ta screw with his head. He shouldn't bother ya."

I grunt in acknowledgment. I'm losing my game horribly cuz I didn't shuffle the deck well enough.

"We had a talk with the other students. And I had a few choice words for yer teammates, too."

I throw down my hand, "Why'd ya do that for?" It's not exactly grammatically correct, I know.

Wolverine looks a little surprised, "I told 'em ta lay off ya."

I'm gathering up the cards unceremoniously, "Well, I didn't want yer help," I snap.

"They were treatin' ya like dirt."

"So was everyone else, YOU included, as I recall." My eyes narrow at him.

"Fair enough." He crosses his arms and scowls down at me, "But I know yer side now--"

"And that makes it better?" I cut him off.

His jaw tightens. He's losing patients in me, but I can't even try to care at this point. "Fine. But I know ya went through shit, with alotta opportunities for ya ta just give up. But ya didn't and ya tried ta be one of the good guys through most of it."

His speech was touching, especially cuz I was still a little funky from the pain killers. But I didn't need him thinking that he was some great mentor that inspired my life. "Wrong, again, Wolverine," I was probably one of the only students that habitually referred to him by his X-Man name, which I'd picked up from my Magneto lackey period. Usually, I corrected myself to Mr. Logan, but not this time. "I wasn't striving for the goody-goody super hero. I was just tryin' ta stay ALIVE."

"I think yer missin' my point, kid--"

"My name's Cougar, not Kid," I cooly correct him.

"Yer name's Calla," interjects.

"No. It's not. Not anymore," I'm glaring up at him, so disgusted with everything. "Get out 'n leave me alone."

He glares back at me, "I was tryin' ta help."

I don't mean to yell, but I do, "I'm so sick of people thinking they're some mighty savior! I don't _need_ ta be saved!"

"Sure about that?" he's studying me with what I think could be patience in his eyes. I hadn't seen it in so long, I might be mistaken.

Dropping eye contact, I stare straight ahead, "Get out."

Wolverine stands there for a few seconds, then leaves. As soon as the door closes I throw the deck of cards up and let them scatter across the floor. Fifty-two pick up.

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After my conversation with Wolverine, I realized that I was screwed. They weren't planning on letting me leave. Stupid people, it was just like Magneto's. Yea, I'm still a little ticked at the world. Why should it suck this much?

It's around 3 A.M., the Witching Hour is another name for it. I use all the skills I learned from Exile Island, Creed, and Mr. Lebeau's Stealth Class to sneak through the mansion. I can't decide if I should go out the front or back. The back has more surveilence, but I know that I can't scale the front gate with my arm in a sling. Opting for the back, I make it to the tree line with out any opposition except the trees themselves. I don't wanna go in there. I don't have a choice of course, some one's coming outside. Hopefully for the last time in my life, I bolt into those stupid woods. I'm still quiet, I know that the person probably didn't see me but I'm not taking any chances. After about half an hour of trecking through the woods in what I figure is a straight path, I hit the outter boundry of the school grounds. A big brick wall.

Maybe I'll get lucky and find a tree growing next to it. HA. Me lucky? Aint it a hoot? No? Well, screw you. I aint in the mood. Well just so ya know I DID find a tree. I also climbed halfway up...before I was unceremoniously yanked back to the earth with an 'oomph' noise.

Groaning, I clutch at my bruised ribs and roll over to get up, "I hate you." I have no idea who I'm talking to, just that I hate him. When I look up, it's Wolverine, holding a hand out for me. "Oh, I really hate you." Declining the offer, I akwardly try to get up, fail, then accept his boost. I'm not at my peak, gimme a break. "What?" I brush myself off as best I can with one hand.

"What d'ya mean, 'what?'. Yer on probation. And ya didn't get clearance ta leave the medlab." He crosses his arms and, (guess what?) scowls at me.

"Oh, You have GOT to be KIDDING!" I exclaim, very much sick of this game. He just looks at me, so I turn back to my tree.

"No." he pulls me by my back pack behind him, putting himself in between me and my tree.

"No?" I raise my brows at him increduously, "You can't just say 'no'. I'm not a DOG, for cryin' out loud!" I SO wish I was able to cross my arms.

"Yea I can."

"Fine. So can I." I snap my good hand and point back towards the mansion, "Go Lie Down." Once again, he just looks at me. "Jeez, even MY dog knows what that means."

He sighs, "Go back ta the school."

"No." I move around him and grab hold of a branch. This time, I keep hold of it when he tries to yank me back. Instead, I swing my cast at his face. HA! He lets go this time. I think I broke his nose. I'm not too sure cuz I'm hunched over my own arm blinking back tears. "Stupid metal skull," I growl. "It wasn't spose ta hurt that much..." I sit down heavily.

"What the hell was that?" he growls back, fixing his nose.

"Stupid healin' factor too." I'm still clutching my arm but also leaning back against the tree uncomfortably, "Why can't you just go away?"

"Cuz wolverines aint nothin' if they aint persistant," he crouches down next to me.

"That's a dumb response," I'm pouting, great.

"What're ya doin' out here?"

"What're YOU doin' out here?" I parrot him.

He frowns, "I asked first."

I can't believe he just said that, "I asked second."

"Comin' after a student," he actually answers to my disbelief.

"Really?" I feign interest, "who? I don't see anyone out here."

"What're ya doin' out here." He doesn't make it a question this time around.

"Leavin'. Or at least, tryin' to."

"Why?"

"I already told ya why."

"Blackstone 'n Magneto. I remember. But I also took care o' that."

I sigh, curling up into a passable all and mumble, "Won't help 'n you know it. I'm not stupid. I'm not wanted here and I don't want to be here either."

"Ya got a right ta be here. Look at me when I talk to ya."

Giving him my best-bored-now look, he continues anyway.

"It aint up ta them. It's up ta YOU."

"Right. And I wanna GO."

He stands up at that. "We won't keep ya here against yer will." He's giving me a peculiar look.

"Well then don't." I stand myself up using the tree as a brace then turn around and start climbing for the third or fourth time, I'm not sure anymore.

"I wasn't finished." he yanks me back down, then ha to stop me from crashing to the ground, as I was higher up this time than last.

"Would you Stop That," I struggle for balance. I think I'm amusing him.

"There was a 'but'."

"huh?" staring back at him dumbly, I truely have no clue what he's talking about.

"But, yer friend Jason escaped today."

Looking down, I pause, then mumble, "He's not my friend anymore."

"Exactly my point. We don't know what Magneto'll do when he finds out yer playin on our team now. He don't take kindly ta traitors."

I really hate that word. "Well, I'll chance it."

"Can't let ya."

I sigh a very heart felt sigh. "Can't ya just say that I slipped past ya?"

He gives me an annoyed look, "You couldn't."

"Well...I threw pepper in yer face so that you couldn't find my scent."

Not even a response this time, he just stares at me coldly.

I realize that its hopeless. I can't leave. I'm stuck. Its a very depressing realization. All the crap that happened, lack of sleep and injuries added on to the depression isn't a good tihng either. I think I'm gonna cry.

Instead, I take deep breaths and look up. The stars are covered by clouds. Even worse. No use. I plop back down and lean against the cold wall. My ribs ache along with my arm, which I hug myself around. Pulling my knees up, I use them to rest my forehead on, trying even harder not to cry.

I hear the leaves rustle as Wolverine shifts uncomfortably.

"Go away." I mumble, recieving a sigh in reply. "Ya know," I start, still not lifting my head, which is throbbing from the cut on my forehead, "I spent, like, forever trying ta get here. Had ta up 'n leave my family, stole my way on ta busses, got caught, enslaved, electrocuted, then dumped on an island where people were gonna kill me. Got 'saved' by some nut case and trained by a psycho. Nearly die wandering around in the wilds, and saved again by a stereotype. Finally get here ta be threatened, mistrusted and hated. If I'd wanted that, I wouldn't have left in the first place." I sigh, then look back up at him. "I'll stay. But don't go thinkin' you scared me into it or inspired me to do it. I'm staying cuz I just don't care anymore." Stiffly, I get up. My arm is really throbbing now and I'm getting a headache.

Wolverine jams his hands into his pockets and looks at me, brow knit.

"Tryin' ta come up with some pep talk? Words of inspiration maybe?" I ask, walking past him. "How bout this, 'We read the world wrong and say that it deceives us.' It's by some one named Tagore. Makes sense." I shrug and keep walking.

He catches up to me quickly and we walk in silence for awhile.

"Ya know what?"

He grunts back.

"I have no idea where I'm going." Stopping to look around, I remember why I hate trees so much, can't see anything, stupid over grown forests...more grumbles...

"What?" he stops, "In life?"

"Huh?" I blink at him. He blinks back.

"Yer still a kid, give it time."

"What? No. I mean here. Are we going the right way?" the ridiculousness of it all strikes me suddenly and I crack up. In between the giggles, I manage, "I...I get...lost trying...ta go...ta go BACK...what a genius!"

Even Mr. Logan smirks, after deciding that I'm not completely insane.

"Ow, Oh, Ha, Ha, Ow..." I hold my ribs and try to calm myself, "So...which way do we go?"

After a brief glance around, he points to the right "That way. I think that was the first time I heard ya laugh."

"Oh, I wasn't that far off, and yea, it probably was." Motioning him to take the lead, I fall in behind him. "So...I don't have ta go ta team training till this thing's off, right?" I hold up my arm.

He snorts, "Think the bad guys wouldn't go after ya cuz yer in a cast? Ya don't have ta do anything too strenuous for a week, but that's all the slack I'm cuttin ya."

"Oh, yea, who's fault do ya think this is?"

He turns enough to raise an eyebrow at me, "Ya aint gonna try ta blame it on me."

"Ya shoulda worn yer seatbelt."

END

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And Thanks a bundle to all my fans, reviewers and just readers. And remember to wear your seat belts!


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